title: Perihepatic lymph node enlargement observed at a general health examination: A cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although perihepatic lymph node enlargement (PLNE) is known as a common finding in chronic liver disease, it can be found occasionally at a general health examination. We aimed to clarify the clinical significance of PLNE in general.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2008 and December 2011, 4234 subjects were enrolled, who underwent a general health examination at the University of Tokyo Hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PLNE was observed in 69 (1.6%) subjects, among whom 17 (0.4%) had liver disorders and 13 (0.3%) had malignancy, one of whom had both. No disorders were determined in the remaining 40 subjects (0.9%). Among 17 subjects with liver disorder-associated PLNE, anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody was determined in 11 and serum alanine aminotransferase levels were less than 40 U/L in eight. Among 13 subjects with malignancy-associated PLNE, para-aortic lymph nodes were also enlarged in eight. Among 40 subjects with PLNE of unknown etiology, 27 could be followed up for the mean period of 2.08 years, where no underlying disorders were newly determined with largely unaltered size of PLNE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of PLNE in the general population may vary with the prevalence of chronic liver disease, especially HCV infection. When PLNE is observed, liver disorders should be first surveyed including HCV infection even with normal serum alanine aminotransferase levels. PLNE with para-aortic lymph node enlargement may be suggestive of a malignant lesion. The incidence of PLNE of unknown etiology may be approximately 1% in the general population, which may be just followed up without further change.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gotoh
authors.forename: Kenichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Enooku
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Soroida
authors.forename: Mamiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hikita
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwai
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokota
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yatomi
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikeda
keywords: chronic liver disease; general health examination; hepatitis C virus; perihepatic lymph node enlargement