[Non-cystic diseases of the liver in a 5-year ultrasonographic study]

The authors evaluate five-year ultrasonographic material (13,672 examinations) focused on non-cystic liver disease. 8212 examinations (60.1%) were made as part of examinations of the gallbladder, 4919 (36%) as part of examination of the right sub-costal area or other organs and only 541 examinations (3.96%) were focused in the first place on the liver. The total number of examined patients included 7830 women (57.3%) and 5842 men (42.7%). Most frequently the ultrasonographic picture of steatosis was found--in 747 patients (5.46%), cirrhosis of the liver in 45 patients (0.33%), primary carcinoma of the liver was present in 7 patients (0.05%) and tumour metastases in 63 patients (0.46%). The group of women with steatosis comprised 42 diabetic women (32.06%), 78 overweight women (59.5%) and 18 with excessive alcohol intake for several years (13.7%). In the group of men with steatosis there were 48 diabetics (7.79%), 92 overweight (14.9%) and 479 with excessive alcohol intake extending over several years (77.7%). In the group of 34 men with cirrhosis excessive alcohol intake for years was found in 31 (91.2%), in the group of eight women with cirrhosis in five instances (62.5%). In abdominal ultrasonography liver disease must be actively searched for, in particular in patients with long-term alcohol intake, overweight, diabetes and long-term use of various hepatotropic drugs.