title: Liver echogenicity: measurement or visual grading?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Two methods to assess liver echogenicity were compared.
  
  
  METHODS
  Liver/kidney echogenicity ratio was measured in 41 persons with the ultrasound software and visually graded by two radiologists and a radiographer. These echogenicity ratios and grades were related to risk factors for fatty liver and to liver enzyme levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These determinants explained 55% of the radiologists' mean grades, 14% of the radiographer's and 31% of the measured echogenicity ratios.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiologists' visual gradings correlated best with the indirect determinants of early liver pathology. Computerized measurements may be inferior to visual grading due to the lack of holistic tissue diagnostics.
authors.affiliation: The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FIN-00250 Helsinki, Finland. tapio.vehmas@ttl.fi
authors.forename: Tapio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vehmas
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaukiainen
authors.forename: Katariina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luoma
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lohman
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nurminen
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taskinen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography