Analysis of the hepatic echo pattern in chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: Patients with chronic hepatitis C often present a bright echopattern o f the liver. Our aim was to examine the relationship of the sonographic ech otexture of the liver in relation to the histological findings in patients with chronic hepatitis C without cirrhosis. Methods: The livers of 68 patie nts with chronic hepatitis C (40 male, 28 female, age: 39+/-9 years) were e valuated by high resolution ultrasound equipment (3,5 and 5 MHz). Histologi c specimens were obtained at the same time. Grading and staging was perform ed according to the histological activity index. 70 healthy subjects (40 ma le, 30 female, age: 35 +/- 9 years, no histology) were examined as controls . Results: A bright sonographic echotexture of the liver was found in 26/68 (38 %) patients with chronic hepatitis C, which correlated with the degree of fatty infiltration in the liver. Other parameters of the histological a ctivity index showed no significant correlation with the echotexture of the liver. Hypoechoic areas in the liver hilus were detected in 24/26 (92 %) p atients with chronic hepatitis C and a bright echotexture of the liver. In 6/70 (9%) healthy subjects a bright sonographic echotexture could be detect ed. Conclusion: Patients with chronic hepatitis C typically show a bright e chotexture of the liver, which correlates mainly with the histological find ing of fatty infiltration. A hypoechoic lesion next to the liver hilus is p resent in almost all patients with bright echotexture of the liver and is a sonographic sign of fatty infiltration of the liver, which might represent an area of less fat content and/or more fibrous tissue which could be due to different vasculature.