[The correlation of the isotopic liver/spleen ratio with the tissue damage in chronic diffuse hepatopathies]

The purpose of the study was to determine whether a correlation between the radioisotopic "spleen-to-liver" ratio and the hepatic damage (according to Knodell's Index) exists in patients with chronic liver disease, in order to ascertain whether hepatic biopsy should be performed under visual (laparoscopic) control or not (blind liver biopsy). Thirty patients with inflammatory chronic hepatic disease were studied (9 chronic persistent hepatitis, 14 active chronic hepatitis and 7 hepatic cirrhosis). An inverse correlation was found between Knodell's Index and the "spleen-to-liver" ratio with moderate statistical significance (r = -0.46). In conclusion, the isotopic "spleen-to-liver" ratio correlates moderately well with the degree of hepatic damage and consequently it can only be used as orientation about the preferable way for obtaining a liver biopsy (laparoscopically or not).