An ultrasound scoring system for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis

Objective To establish noninvasive semiquantitative ultrasonic criteria for evaluating liver fibrosis and differentiating cirrhosis from chronic hepat itis. Methods A total of 66 HBsAg positive patients (chronic hepatitis 42 patient s, cirrhosis 24) were included. Ultrasonography was performed 24 hours befo re liver biopsy. A fibrotic scoring system was used to evaluate the ultraso und findings in contrast with fibrotic stages in each patient. Results The total liver fibrotic scores had a significantly positive correl ation with the histological liver fibrotic stage (r = 0.952, P < 0.001); th e stage of histological liver fibrosis (Y) was calculated by the total fibr otic scores (X according to the experiential formula: Y = X/2 - 2; receiver operating curves (ROC) showed that the best cut-off values for differentia ting cirrhosis from chronic hepatitis was 10 with a sensitivity of 87.8% an d a specificity of 97.6%. Conclusions The total fibrotic scores of ultrasonic dimentional image provi de a semiquantitative marker to evaluate liver fibrosis and differentiate c irrhosis from chronic hepatitis.