Prospective evaluation ofthediagnostic accuracyof liver ultrasonography

biliary tract disease andabdominal neoplasms-in 26%of thepatients. Ultrasound isan'effective regional-imaging device based onmorphology'.' Gray-scale signal processing allows adetailed analysis oftexture patterns ofsolid organs andthusthecharacterisation ofbothdiffuse pathological processes andspace-occupying lesions. Thecontours andtheechotexture ofinternal organs areoutlined andchanges inadjacent viscera delineated. Real-time imaging decreases examination time, andallows aquick andcomplete survey ofthe region ofinterest. Liver ultrasound thushastheability todetect diffuse aswell asfocal liver disease byanalysis ofthe liver texture andmaydefine associated abnormalities such asascites orsplenomegaly. Different patterns of metastatic liver disease havebeendescribed23 andan accuracy of90% hasbeenclaimed.4 Diffuse hepatocellular disease mayproduce changes inliver echo pattern andanaccuracy of81% hasbeenrecorded inaretrospective study.5 Inorder toevaluate theaccuracy, sensitivity, and specificity ofliver ultrasound, aprospective study wasundertaken ofpatients undergoing liver biopsy forevaluation ofliver disease andcontrols undergoing abdominal surgery forvarious reasons.