Relationship between CT grouping and complications of liver cirrhosis.
BACKGROUND
Imaging examination is important for hepatic cirrhosis. But the relationship between magnetic resonance (MR), computed tomography (CT) or ultrasound findings and pathological groups, degree, or reserve function of the cirrhotic liver is not clear. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the CT groupings of liver cirrhosis and its complications and clinical conditions.


METHODS
The CT findings in 357 patients with liver cirrhosis were grouped. The complications were analyzed, included splenomegaly, varicose collateral veins, ascites, pleurorrhea, primary liver carcinoma, gallbladder stone, etc. Blood routine (BRt), and serum usea nitrogen (SUN), creatinine and uric acid were measured and hypersplenia and liver-kidney syndrome were estimated.


RESULTS
Three hundred and fifty-seven patients with cirrhosis were divided into homogeneous group (87 patients, 24.4%), segmental group (41, 11.5%), and nodal group (229, 64.2%). The grade of spleen enlargement in the segmental and the nodal groups was significantly greater than that in the homogeneous group (P<0.01 and P<0.001). The patients with varices were shown in a descending order in the segmental group (70.7%), the nodal group (17.0%) and the homogeneous group (2.3%), respectively. Significant difference was observed among the 3 groups (P<0.001). Ascites was seen in 182 patients (79.5%) of the nodal group, in 11 patients (26.8%) of the segmental group and in 9 patients (10.3%) of the homogeneous group (P<0.001). Sixty-eight patients (29.7%) in the nodal group had primary liver carcinoma and 1 (2.4%) in the segmental group and 5 (5.8%) in the homogeneous group (P<0.001). The number of patients with decreased concentration of hematoglobin in the nodal group was more than that in the homogeneous group (P<0.001). The mean values of hematoglobin and platelet in the nodal group and the segmental group were significantly lower than those in the homogeneous group (P<0.05). The number of patients with increased concentration of SUN in the nodal group and the segmental group was more than that in the homogeneous group (P<0.005). The concentration of SUN in the nodal group was significantly higher than that in the homogeneous group (P<0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
There is a close relationship between the grouping of liver cirrhosis by CT findings and complications caused by the cirrhosis. The grouping is significant for estimating clinical conditions.
Zhang
Min-Guang
MG
Department of Radiology, Shanghai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200071, China. mgzhang09@hotmail.com
Huang
Xue-Jing
XJ
Zhu
Qiong
Q
Geng
Jian
J
Zhang
An-Jun
AJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001201:Ascites / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*