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Updated: Mar 24, 2026
Novel In Vivo Micro-Computed Tomography Imaging Techniques for Assessing the Progression of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Published on: March 24, 2023
The Liver Segmental Volume Ratio for Noninvasive Detection of Cirrhosis: Comparison With Established Linear and
Oliver M Furusato Hunt1, Meghan G Lubner, Timothy J Ziemlewicz
1From the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to compare the liver segmental volume ratio (LSVR), a novel volumetric computed tomography measurement, with established linear measurements for differentiating normal from cirrhotic livers.
Methods:
Hepatic volumes were measured using semiautomated software (Liver Analysis Application, Philips IntelliSpace Portal) on contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography scans in 312 adults, including 108 patients with end-stage liver disease (mean age, 55 years; 63 men/45 women) and 204 healthy controls (potential renal donors; mean age, 46 years; 82 men/122 women). The LSVR was defined as the volume ratio of Couinaud segments I to III to segments IV to VIII. Linear measures included the caudate-to-right lobe ratio and maximal splenic dimension.
Results:
Differences in LSVR between cirrhotics and controls were highly significant (P < 0.0001; mean, 0.55 ± 0.29 versus 0.27 ± 0.07; receiver operating characteristic [ROC] area under the curve [AUC], 0.916). Linear caudate-to-right lobe ratio differences were not statistically significant between the 2 cohorts (P = 0.051; ROC AUC, 0.567). Total liver volume was ineffective for discrimination (ROC AUC, 0.598). An LSVR threshold of 0.35 or greater had a sensitivity and specificity for cirrhosis of 81.5% and 88.7%, respectively.
Conclusions:
Regional hepatic volume changes, as reflected by the LSVR, are more effective than standard linear measures or total liver volume for differentiating cirrhotic from normal livers.
