Texture Analysis of Laparoscopic Images in Chronic Liver Disease

Determination of the site of progression of chronic liver disease is important for prognosis. In the present study we used texture analysis to quantitatively assess progression based on the appearance of the surface of the liver during laparoscopy. A total of 34 chronic liver disease patients who underwent laparoscopic examinations over a 2-year period were enrolled in this study. Their laparoscopic photographs were classified into a chronic hepatitis or a liver cirrhosis group, and image analysis was performed with intraoperative photographs of laparotomy patients without associated liver disease serving as the normal control group. The photographs of the 3 groups were input into a digital image processorr (NEXUS6400) by a film scanner, and the image data obtained were analyzed by the gray level difference method, the run length method, and fractal number. Significant differences were observed between the quantitative values in the three groups by each of these methods, but it was not possible to evaluate fine changes at the liver surface occurring during the progression of chronic hepatitis to liver cirrhosis.