title: [Follow-up of patients with chronic hepatitis B infection with no indication for treatment. Ultrasound follow-up for carriers of the hepatitis B surface antigen].
abstract: Ultrasonography enables us to easily study HBV liver disease progression. The presence of an irregular border in the liver, a hyperechoic pattern and an increase in the size of the caudate lobe are objective signs of cirrhosis. The slowing of the portal flow measured by Doppler echocardiography has a high specificity and sensitivity for establishing the noninvasive diagnosis of portal hypertension. For HBV carriers with no active replication data and no associated liver disease, the periodicity of ultrasound examinations for the early diagnosis of hepatocarcinoma has not been established. One of the limitations of this technique is the interobserver and intraobserver variability. Staff who are assigned to this technique need sufficient experience and dedication.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Hepatología, Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario A Coruña, A Coruña, España. Electronic address: manuel.delgado.blanco@sergas.es.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delgado Blanco
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D002353:Carrier State; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
keywords: Ecografía; HBsAg carriers; Hepatitis B virus; Portadores HBs Ag; Ultrasonography; Virus B