title: Value of computed tomography-derived estimated liver volume/standard liver volume ratio for predicting the prognosis of adult fulminant hepatic failure in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prognosis of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) has been improved but is still unsatisfactory, and liver atrophy has been reported as a poor prognostic factor for this disease. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical value of the estimated liver volume (ELV) compared to the standard liver volume (SLV) in patients with FHF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Estimated liver volume of 24 adult patients with FHF receiving artificial liver support (ALS) was measured by using computed tomography. Actual liver weight (ALW) was measured if possible, and the calculated ELV/SLV ratio was compared to the ALW/SLV ratio and the ALW/BW (bodyweight) ratio. Sequential ELV/SLV ratios during the clinical course were analyzed in relation to the prognosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ELV/SLV ratio was significantly correlated with both the ALW/SLV and ALW/BW ratios. The mean ALW/SLV ratio of patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) was 0.59 +/- 0.17. The mean ELV/SLV ratio at the time of starting ALS (day 0) in the patients who survived (group 1) was 1.081 +/- 0.183, but that of cases who underwent LDLT or died without LDLT (group 2) was 0.764 +/- 0.255. The mean ELV/SLV ratios were 1.084 +/- 0.222 and 0.650 +/- 0.195 in groups 1 and 2, respectively, 5 days after starting ALS (day 5). Among the group 2 patients, those who had no liver atrophy on day 0 had a significantly decreased ELV/SLV ratio on day 5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the ELV/SLV ratio is a very useful objective marker to estimate liver atrophy and this marker reflects the prognosis of FHF patients very well.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
authors.forename: Hidetsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Horie
authors.forename: Shinzo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Hiromasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shimojima
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haga
authors.forename: Motohide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimazu
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitajima
authors.forename: Toshifumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hibi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric