[Echinococcus granulosus cysts in the liver. Ultrasonography findings during medical treatment]

Since the sensitivity and specificity of serologic tests for echinococcosis is low, the role of imaging techniques is increasing. The goal of this study was to determine the usefulness of ultrasonography in diagnostics and classification of liver hydatid cysts and in the follow up after antiparasitic treatment. The study group of 35 persons, 26 women (mean age 42 years) and 9 men (mean age 39 years) was selected. The echography diagnosis was made using Toschiba scanner (SSH 140 A) with 3.75 and 7.5 MHz transducers. All 35 patients had positive results of serological tests for echinococcosis (EIA and/or indirect hemagglutination). The liver hydatid cysts (h.c.) are classified into seven types according to Caremani et all: I--simple h.c., II--multiple h.c., III--h.c. with detachment of the wall, IV--h.c. with mixed pattern with or without septations, V--heterogenous h.c., VI--hyperechoic h.c., VII--calcified h.c. The antiparasitic chemiotherapy with albendazole (10 mg/kg) was applied to 23 patients with total number of 59 h.c. of types I, II, III, IV, V. The observation points that cysts types I, II, III, IV, V respond to antiparasitic treatment. Our findings show that the sonographic patterns of cyst degeneration are seen with greater frequency in treated cysts than in nontreated ones.