title: [Characteristics of sublingual venae in primary liver cancer patients in different clinical stages].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the characteristics of the sublingual venae in patients with primary liver cancer (PLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  The shape, color and the red, green and blue values of the sublingual venae were analyzed quantitatively for PLC patients in different clinical stages by analysis system for comprehensive information of tongue diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With the aggravating of the disease, the patients' sublingual venae became wide and tortuous, and their color became blue and purple. The abnormality of the sublingual venae was more serious in clinical stage III than in stages I and II (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The shape, color and abnormality degree of the sublingual venae in patients with PLC in different clinical stages are distinct.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiao-Qiang
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Rong-Zheng
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Chuan-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Chang-Quan
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D009060:Mouth Floor / Q000098:blood supply; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014680:Veins / Q000473:pathology*