Can cirrhosis be detected by ultrasound B?

Written by Li Hu Chen
Imaging Center
Updated on September 15, 2024
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If there are signs of hardening in the liver, which we call cirrhosis, an ultrasound, specifically a hepatobiliary ultrasound, can detect it. Especially in the middle and late stages, cirrhosis has some characteristic features on an ultrasound. First, one can observe the size of the liver. By the middle and late stages, the liver usually shrinks—a slight enlargement may occur early on, but it generally progressively diminishes. Additionally, the texture of the liver becomes harder, and through the ultrasound, the texture appears uneven with a bumpy feeling, or in other words, there can be seen a diffuse and uneven echo. However, for early-stage cirrhosis, a standard ultrasound may not be as sensitive. Nowadays, there are digital liver ultrasounds specifically designed to measure the degree of liver hardness, which provide objective data to help diagnose more sensitively and objectively. This method can definitely detect the condition.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
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Is the pain obvious in the early stages of cirrhosis?

In the early stages of cirrhosis, the pain is not very obvious. Patients in the early stages of cirrhosis may experience vague discomfort in the upper right abdomen, while others may never experience pain at all. Those in the early stages may also have symptoms such as belching, fatigue, acid reflux, jaundice, and dark urine. Further comprehensive auxiliary examinations are needed, such as liver function tests and abdominal imaging studies. At the same time, it is important to identify the cause of early-stage cirrhosis in patients as soon as possible and adopt appropriate treatment measures based on different causes. For instance, if it is caused by alcohol, then treatment should involve abstaining from alcohol.

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Written by Yang Chun Guang
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Is liver cirrhosis with ascites contagious?

Liver cirrhosis in the decompensated stage with ascites present is not inherently contagious. Whether the condition is infectious depends not on the severity of liver function, the degree of liver cirrhosis, or the gravity of ascites, but rather on the underlying cause of the liver cirrhosis. For example, liver cirrhosis caused by alcohol consumption is not contagious. However, if the liver cirrhosis is due to viral hepatitis, such as commonly seen with hepatitis B or C, the condition can be infectious. Therefore, the presence of ascites or liver cirrhosis itself is not an indicator of infectiousness; the crucial factor is whether there is an infectious virus present.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
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What is the cause of a gurgling stomach in cirrhosis?

Cirrhosis patients experiencing gurgling noises in the abdomen may suffer from functional dyspepsia due to cirrhosis, leading to accelerated intestinal motility and the mentioned symptoms. It is also possible that patients with cirrhosis may concurrently have acute enteritis, causing these symptoms. If these symptoms occur, further comprehensive stool tests are necessary to determine whether the symptoms are caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Depending on the cause, different treatment measures should be adopted. Consider using montmorillonite powder to stop diarrhea and using Bacillus cereus, composite lactic acid bacteria, etc., to regulate the intestinal flora. Given the patient's cirrhosis, proactive liver treatment is essential. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
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Will the platelet count be low in the early stages of cirrhosis?

The early stage of cirrhosis does not cause a decrease in platelets. Patients in the early stages of cirrhosis often have no obvious symptoms and may only exhibit fatigue, weight loss, jaundice, etc. However, once a patient with cirrhosis develops splenic hyperfunction, it can easily lead to a decrease in platelets, where the platelet count may drop to 100,000 per microliter. In such cases, it might be necessary to perform procedures like splenic embolization or splenectomy for antimicrobial treatment, and it is also important to prevent other complications of cirrhosis, such as esophageal and gastric varices, etc.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
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Do I need to take liver-protective medicine in the early stages of cirrhosis?

As for whether it is still necessary to take liver-protective medication in the early stages of cirrhosis, it depends on whether there is liver function impairment in patients with early-stage cirrhosis. If there is liver function impairment, such as elevated transaminases and bilirubin, then it is necessary to take some liver-protective medications. If liver function is normal, then it is sufficient to treat only the cause of the disease. For example, if cirrhosis is caused by chronic hepatitis B virus infection, but the patient's liver function is normal, then antiviral treatment alone is sufficient. If the cirrhosis is due to alcohol abuse, then strict abstinence from alcohol is required, and the condition can generally be stabilized.