Evaluation of the degree of severity in liver cirrhosis by computed tomography

As CT findings useful for the evaluation of the degree of severity in liver cirrhosis, the following items were chosen for statistical analysis: atrophy of the right lobe, enlargement of the left lobe, irregularity of the liver surface, ascites, varices or collaterals, and dilatation of the SMV. According to the frequency with which these six items were found, the CT findings were expressed in the form of a score, and the resulting scores agreed well with ICG values, portal-venous flow (Qp) ratios obtained from radionuclide angiography, and the scores on the Child-Turcotte criteria. A score of 5 or 6 meant severe cirrhosis. A score of 4 meant liver cirrhosis, however, the degree of severity could not be determined, because there was overlap among the cirrhotic groups. A score of 3 meant liver cirrhosis with a probability of about 90%. A score of 1 or 2 was nonspecific for evaluation. When a score of 0 was noted with splenomegaly, there was a probability of more than 90% that it was chronic hepatitis. In conclusion, this approach was considered to be useful for evaluating the degree of severity in liver cirrhosis and differentiating between liver cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis to some degree in Japanese.