Acute hepatitis A: correlation of CT findings with clinical phase

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidences of various multi-detector CT (MDCT) findings in acute viral hepatitis A (AHA) and to determine if there are associations between these CT findings and the clinical phases of AHA.

Eighty-five patients with AHA were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into three groups according to changes in their serum alanine aminotransferase and bilirubin levels before and after performing MDCT: group 1 (n = 16, prodromal phase); group 2 (n = 41, jaundice phase); group 3 (n = 28, recovery phase).

Small lymph node enlargement in the hepatoduodenal ligament area, perihepatic fat infiltration, gallbladder (GB) changes (wall thickening, contraction, or an undulating inner margin), periportal edema, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and pelvic fluid collection were noted in 98.8%, 76.5%, 75.3%, 43.5%, 22.4%, 52.9% and 56.5% of the patients, respectively. Fat infiltration, periportal edema, and pelvic fluid collection were most frequent in group 2. GB changes were least frequent in group 1.

At least one of the CT findings suggestive of AHA was noted in 89.4% of the enrolled patients. These CT findings were more frequently identified in patients in the jaundice phase compared to another phases.