The use of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of hepatocellular diseases, especially biliary obstruction andfocal disease of the liver has acquired an increasing importance because of the technologic improvement of the equipment. However, the
usefulness
of abdominal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis hasn't been clear yet. From May 1988 to October 1992, abdominal ultrasonography was performed in 78 non-liver cirrhotics and 47 liver cirrhotics undergoing peritoneoscopy and liver
biopsy
for the evaluation of liver disease.
The sensitivity of ultrasonography was 83% in total, 80.8% in Child-Pugh class A and 85.7% in class B and the specificity was 91%. The significant reduction of platelet count and prothrombin time was noted in false negative liver cirrhotics, but
not in
false positive liver cirrhotics.
In conclusion, ultrasonography is the useful method for the detection of compensated liver cirrhosis. In order to decrease the false positive and the false negative rate in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis by abdominal ultrasonography, it may be
helpful
to measure the platelet count and prothrombin-time.
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