FOCAL HEPATIC-LESIONS WITH SPECIAL REFERE NCE TO HYDATIDOSIS REPORT OF 1080 ULTRASONOGRAPHIC EXAMINATIONS

This article reports the results of 1080 ultrasonographic examinations of the liver in a clinic of the Ninth Region of Chile, using a SSD 62 0 Aloka equipment. In 61 examinations (5.69%) a focal liver lesion was found. Of these, 9 (14.7% of lesions) appeared as malignant (6 metast asis and 3 hepatomas) and 52 (85.3% of lesions) appeared as benign (10 inespecific calcifications of less than 10 mm, 6 vascular lesions, 12 simple cysts, 2 cases of polycystic liver and 9 cases fulfilled Gharb i's criteria for hepatic hydatidosis). The diagnosis in these 9 cases was confirmed by serology or surgery Thus, 14.7% of all focal lesions of the fiver were due to hydatidosis. Considering that simple cysts ar e indistinguishable from hydatid cysts in early stages, hydatidosis co uld be misdiagnosed in this sample. It is concluded that serologic tes ts should be performed to all cystic hepatic ultrasonographic lesions, specially in zones with high infestations rates.