Hepatic ultrasonographic findings in Nigerians with acute icteric hepatitis

Forty five consecutive patients with acute icteric hepatitis in the University College Hospital, Ibadan were recruited for clinical assessment of the liver. Ultrasonographic assessment of the liver was also carried out with Siemens Sonoline ultrasound machine with 3.5 MHz sector probe. Eighty two percent of the patients had no liver abnormality on ultrasonography. No significant difference was found between ultrasonographic and clinical estimation of hepatic size. Thickened gallbladder wall was found in 6.7% of the patients while gallstones were found in 4.4%. Fine echoes and reduced parenchyma echoes were found in 2.2% of the patients. There were no ultrasonographic differences on account of viral status or transaminase levels. It is recommended that ultrasonographic assessment of the liver be considered in routine work-up of patients with acute icteric hepatitis to exclude structural causes of obstructive jaundice.