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Patrones de ultrasonido y frecuencia de lesiones focales hepáticas después de un tratamiento exitosos de absceso hepático amibiano
Author(s) -
Blessmann Joerg,
Khoa Nguyen Dinh,
An Le Van,
Tannich Egbert
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2006.01595.x
Subject(s) - amoebic liver abscess , ultrasound , liver abscess , medicine , radiology , abscess , pathology , surgery
Summary Objective To evaluate the frequency and morphology of residual liver lesions in patients successfully treated for amoebic liver abscess. Methods Retrospective ultrasound‐based study of 240 adult males from an amoebiasis‐endemic area in Vietnam with a documented clinical history of amoebic liver abscess. Subjects were re‐examined by hepatic ultrasound 1–13 years after abscess treatment. Results In 17 subjects (7.1%) focal hypo‐ or isoechoic areas were identified within the liver with a diameter of 8–48 mm surrounded by a hyperechoic wall. These lesions were associated with positive amoeba serology, were located at the site of the previous abscess and their sonographic appearances corresponded to post‐amoebic liver abscess residues. Residues were found in all groups of patients irrespectively of the time‐span since the abscess was treated. However, lesions older than 7 years showed some degree of calcification. Otherwise, lesions were apparently inactive, as patients had no clinical symptoms or signs of inflammation and follow‐up after one year revealed no changes in size or pattern. Conclusion The vast majority of amoebic liver abscesses resolve to a sonographically normal parenchymal pattern. However, in a small proportion of cases characteristic residues remain. These residues do not require further treatment or diagnostic intervention and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of space‐occupying liver lesions, in particular in patients from amoebiasis‐endemic areas.