title: New Methods of Testing and Brain Imaging in Hepatic Encephalopathy: A Review.
abstract: The diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy is predominantly clinical, and the tests available assist in the diagnosis only by excluding other causes. Covert hepatic encephalopathy, which is defined as abnormal performance on psychometric tests when standard neurologic examination is completely normal, has gained widespread attention in recent years due to its effect on quality of life. This review focuses on the tests available to aid in the diagnosis of this significant complication of liver disease, and discusses the complex pathophysiologic mechanisms identified through new imaging techniques and their significance toward development of new therapeutic targets for this condition.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 185 South Orange Avenue, MSB H 538, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
authors.forename: Raja G R
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Edula
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 185 South Orange Avenue, MSB H 538, Newark, NJ 07103, USA. Electronic address: pyrsopni@njms.rutgers.edu.
authors.forename: Nikolaos T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Pyrsopoulos
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D063731:Mobile Applications; D059906:Neuroimaging; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D013129:Spinal Puncture; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D000641:Ammonia
keywords: Ammonia; Brain imaging; Hepatic encephalopathy; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; PET; Psychometric testing; Single-photon emission CT; Stroop app