[Hepatic ultrasonographic imaging and serum amino acid levels in cured schistosomiasis cases].
Ultrasonography (B mode) of liver and serum amino-acid levels were studied in 15 cases of schistosomiasis japonica who had been cured for more than 5-15 years. Typical B-ultrasonic images of hepatic fibrosis due to schistosomiasis were found in all patients which could be classified into three types, namely, the spotty type (I), the tortoise-shell type (II) and the net-patchy type (III) according to the patterns of echogenic bands. Moderate to marked echogenic thickening of portal vein wall, and dilation of portal and splenic veins were revealed in patients with type II and III images. Free amino acids in sera were determined by using HPLC-AAAS. The result revealed that the concentration of 8 nonessential and 3 essential amino acids (threonine, valine, tryptophan) were significantly decreased in the 15 patients. The ratio of aromatic to aliphatic amino acid was markedly elevated in 3 patients of type III. The serum amino acid imbalance was attributed to the severe hepatic damage and impaired liver function.
First Hospital of Fujian Medical College, Fuzhou.
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X
Lin
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G
Chen
J
J
Li
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013154:Spleen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013162:Splenic Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000596:Amino Acids