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Liver Ultrasonography

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Liver Diseases

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Abstract

Ultrasonography is a well-established technique of diagnosis in a very large number of pathologies. Besides, abdominal ultrasonography is one of the most commonly performed imagistic investigations in medicine, of high value in the exploration of parenchymatous organs, particularly the liver. It offers information about liver structure and vascularization, but also about possible pathologic processes that may occur in or around the liver. Recent technologic advances have made ultrasonography almost as reliable as CT scan or MRI in the evaluation of liver diseases, and its utility extends beyond diagnosis, as a mean of imagistic control in interventional procedures, such as liver biopsy or radiofrequency ablation. This work aims to review the normal and pathologic ultrasonographic imaging of the liver, in respect to its structure, blood and bile circulation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, Institutul Clinic Fundeni, University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMF) Carol Davila, Bucharest, Romania

    Laura Iliescu

Authors
  1. Laura Iliescu
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, “Titu Maiorescu” University, Central Military Emergency University Hospital “Dr. Carol Davila”, Bucharest, Romania

    Florentina Radu-Ionita

  2. New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA

    Nikolaos T. Pyrsopoulos

  3. Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Central Military Emergency University Hospital “Dr. Carol Davila”, Bucharest, Romania

    Mariana Jinga

  4. Faculty of Medicine, “Titu Maiorescu” University, Central Military Emergency University Hospital “Dr. Carol Davila”, Bucharest, Romania

    Ion C. Tintoiu

  5. Medical Radiation Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia

    Zhonghua Sun

  6. “Prof. C.C. Iliescu” Emergency Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases, Bucharest, Romania

    Ecaterina Bontas

Self Study

Self Study

1.1 Questions

  1. 1.

    Which statement is true:

    1. (a)

      The patient must fast for a minimum of 6 h prior to the investigation.

    2. (b)

      Low frequency sounds are used for deep tissues (such as large livers).

    3. (c)

      High frequency sounds are used for high resolution images of superficial structures.

    4. (d)

      The frequency used in liver ultrasonography is 3–7 MHz.

  2. 2.

    Which statement is true:

    1. (a)

      Renal cortex is a reference for normal aspect of the liver echostructure.

    2. (b)

      The normal capsule appears as a fine continue hyperechoic line surrounding the liver.

    3. (c)

      The normal flow velocity in the portal vein ranges from 12 to 25 cm/s.

    4. (d)

      The hallmark sign for acute/chronic liver congestion is the distension of the inferior vena cava accompanied by the distension of hepatic veins.

  3. 3.

    Which statement is true about ultrasonography in liver cirrhosis:

    1. (a)

      The liver appears hypoechoic.

    2. (b)

      The liver contour is irregular.

    3. (c)

      The portal vein has a diameter of over 15 mm.

    4. (d)

      The intrahepatic portal vein branches have irregular caliber.

1.2 Answers

  1. 1.

    Which statement is true:

    1. (a)

      CORRECT

    2. (b)

      CORRECT

    3. (c)

      CORRECT

    4. (d)

      CORRECT

  2. 2.

    Which statement is true:

    1. (a)

      CORRECT

    2. (b)

      CORRECT

    3. (c)

      CORRECT

    4. (d)

      CORRECT

  3. 3.

    Which statement is true about ultrasonography in liver cirrhosis:

    1. (a)

      FALSE

    2. (b)

      CORRECT

    3. (c)

      CORRECT

    4. (d)

      CORRECT

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Iliescu, L. (2020). Liver Ultrasonography. In: Radu-Ionita, F., Pyrsopoulos, N., Jinga, M., Tintoiu, I., Sun, Z., Bontas, E. (eds) Liver Diseases. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24432-3_40

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24432-3_40

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-24431-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-24432-3

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