title: Clinical versus ultrasound examination in the evaluation of hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni in endemic areas.
abstract: The best way to appraise the size of abdominal organs remains undefined. Herein we compare the size of liver and spleen in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis using clinical and ultrasound (US) examination, and the size of the organs measured by US with their visualization below the costal margin ("palpable by US"). For this study, 411 individuals from an endemic area for schistosomiasis mansoni in Brazil have been selected. We found that palpable spleens and left liver lobes are larger than non palpable ones. Also, 23% of normal spleens measured by US were palpable on clinical examination, and 22% of spleens increased in size on US were non palpable. A total of 21% of normal spleens were "palpable by US". We also found 54% of normal sized right liver lobes palpable on clinical examination, whilst 54% of the increased livers, measured by US, were non palpable. About 76% of normal right liver lobes were "palpable by US". We conclude that the association of clinical, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations, in the near future, should give the investigators the necessary tools to perform a more accurate clinical diagnosis of hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 30130-100 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina Coimbra
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Marinho
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Voieta
authors.forename: Letícia Martins
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Azeredo
authors.forename: Marina Pires
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Nishi
authors.forename: Thaís Sanai
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: Ana Carolina Figueiredo
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: José Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Serufo
authors.forename: Leonardo Campos de
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Queiroz
authors.forename: Raiza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Guevara
authors.forename: Carlos Maurício
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.forename: Aluízio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prata
authors.forename: José Roberto
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lambertucci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008109:Liver Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010173:Palpation; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography