Can inflammation on the liver surface be detected through ultrasound?

Liver health is very important. A little carelessness can easily lead to liver disease, causing great harm to the body. Liver disease can be discovered and diagnosed promptly through modern medical technology, especially liver inflammation, which can be checked using advanced ultrasound methods. For example, can inflammation of the liver surface be detected through B-ultrasound? Let’s take a look at the explanation below, I hope everyone can understand it.

In some cases of hepatitis, abdominal color ultrasound can show thickening of the liver echo. In some cases of hepatitis, if the condition worsens and cirrhosis occurs, the spleen may become enlarged and the liver may shrink. If it is only mild hepatitis, color ultrasound cannot show it.

Hepatitis manifestations

Ultrasound manifestations of acute viral hepatitis

The results of B-ultrasound examination of acute viral hepatitis show that the liver is generally enlarged, the lateral values ​​of each diameter are increased, and the liver appears plump; the echo of the liver capsule is relatively enhanced and rough, and the inner surface of the lower edge is slightly raised. When the liver parenchyma is congested and edematous, the echo is lower than normal, the density is sparse, and the echo of the posterior wall is relatively enhanced. When stem cells bleed, deform, necrotize, or regenerate, the echo of the liver parenchyma gradually increases, and the light spots become thicker, more numerous, and unevenly distributed; the spleen is slightly enlarged and may return to normal as the condition improves. In acute hepatitis, the gallbladder may appear normal, or the cyst wall may thicken, the inner cavity may atrophy, and there may be no bile. May be a sign of severe hepatocellular damage. As the condition improves, the gallbladder will return to normal. Since the above manifestations are not specific, their diagnostic value for acute hepatitis is limited, so the diagnosis needs to be combined with medical history and other clinical examinations.

Ultrasound manifestations of chronic viral hepatitis

The results of B-ultrasound examination of chronic viral hepatitis vary with the severity of the chronic liver lesions. In mild cases, there may be no abnormalities at all, while in severe cases, it may be close to cirrhosis. There may be no obvious changes in the size and shape of the liver, or there may be slight to moderate enlargement of the left and right lobes; the liver capsule may not change in mild and inactive cases. In severe cases, the liver surface may be uneven to varying degrees, indicating an irregular liver capsule; in mild cases, only an increase or slightly stronger light spot can be seen in the liver parenchyma, which is evenly distributed.

In more serious cases, the echo of the liver parenchyma is enhanced, rough, and may appear network-like, with a slightly blurred duct structure, but the portal vein is not dilated; the spleen is slightly enlarged, with a thickness greater than 4 cm, and a thickness of less than 3 cm when taking a deep breath under the rib margin; when the liver damage is severe and liver cell necrosis is obvious, the liver capsule wall is rough and slightly thickened, but it is not obvious when there is no acute hepatitis, and the bile echo is generally normal. The sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound imaging for the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis are also low, and the diagnosis must be combined with clinical and other examinations. However, it can detect the evolution of chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis.