SUPERIORITY OF LAPAROSCOPY COMPARED TO ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN DIAGNOSIS OF WIDESPREAD LIVER-DISEASES

The aim of the study was to compare the results of ultrasonography (US ) and laparoscopy in a series of 210 patients referred to our institut ion for the diagnosis of widespread liver diseases. Among 205 patients , laparoscopy revealed cirrhosis in 114, chronic widespread disease in 70 (chronic persistent hepatitis in 21, chronic active hepatitis in 2 8, steatosis in 14, acute hepatitis in 5, fibrosis in 2), and absence of liver disease in 21, Four of these cases had minor complications. A corroborative diagnosis was obtained in 122 patients (59.5%). Overall sensitivity of US was 84% with a low specificity due to the high rate of false negatives, From the results of this study we conclude that l aparoscopy is a safe and essential diagnostic tool in the final diagno sis of widespread liver diseases and that US is not a reliable screeni ng method because of its incidence of false negatives.