title: Fulminant herpes simplex viral hepatitis: ultrasound and CT imaging appearance and a review of the imaging literature.
abstract: We report the case of a previously healthy 21-year-old woman who presented 6 days post-partum in acute fulminant hepatic failure. A liver ultrasound demonstrated normal echogenicity without discrete nodules while an enhanced computed tomography (CT) demonstrated innumerable 1- to 3-mm hypodense nodules throughout the liver with greater involvement of the left lobe. Liver biopsy confirmed herpes simplex virus infection. We believe this disease has a characteristic appearance on CT and prompt recognition can expedite diagnosis and therapy.
authors.affiliation: Medical Scientist Training Program, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tripuraneni
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Keyur
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Todd V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA. Electronic address: lisa.ho@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D049590:Postpartum Period; D018139:Simplexvirus; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acute hepatitis; CT imaging; Herpes simplex virus; Ultrasound imaging