Two-dimensional shear wave elastography with propagation-based reliability assessment for grading hepatic fibrosis and portal hypertension.

Background: The aim of the present study was to examine the diagnostic ability of two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) with propagation-based reliability for grading of hepatic fibrosis and portal hypertension.

Methods: This prospective study (UMIN000022838) consisted of 135 subjects. Phase I (n = 40) examined the effect of standard deviation (SD)/median as the reliability criterion of 2D-SWE, and phase II (n = 95) compared the diagnostic ability of 2D-SWE under the best SD/median value and transient elastography (TE).

Non-Invasive Diagnosis of Portal Hypertensive Gastropathy: Quantitative Analysis of Microbubble-Induced Stomach Wall Enhancement.

The aim of the study described here was to elucidate the efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) prospectively as a tool in the diagnosis of portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG). The peak enhancement time at the upper stomach wall (PT) and intensity ratio at the upper stomach/the spleen (IR) between pre- and peak enhancement were evaluated by CEUS with perflubutane microbubble agent in 56 patients, 42 with cirrhosis (16 with PHG) and 14 controls. The IR was higher in patients with PHG (1.

Palmitate-induced Regulation of PPARγ via PGC1α: a Mechanism for Lipid Accumulation in the Liver in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

The aim was to examine the effect of free fatty acids on the regulation of PPARγ-PGC1α pathway, and the effect of PPARγ/PGC1α in NAFLD. The mRNA and protein expression of PGC1α and phospho/total PPARγ were examined in Huh7 cells after the palmitate/oleate treatment with/without the transfection with siRNA against PGC1a. The palmitate content, mRNA and protein expression of PGC1α and PPARγ in the liver were examined in the control and NAFLD mice.

Portal response related to shunt occlusion by balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration may determine the prognosis of cirrhosis.

Aim: To determine the prognostic effect of portal hemodynamic responses after balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) for gastric varices (GV) in cirrhosis patients.

Methods: This retrospective study consisted of 37 cirrhosis patients (aged 62.5 ± 9.

Hemodynamic effect of the left gastric artery on esophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis.

Background: To examine the hemodynamic effect of the left gastric artery (LGA) on the esophageal varices (EV) in cirrhosis.

Methods: This was a prospective study performed in 48 cirrhosis patients (35 men, 13 women; median age 61.6 ± 11.

Role of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with Sonazoid for hepatocellular carcinoma: evidence from a 10-year experience.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents primary liver cancer. Because the development of HCC limits the prognosis as well as the quality of life of the patients, its management should be properly conducted based on an accurate diagnosis. The liver is the major target organ of ultrasound (US), which is the simple, non-invasive, and real-time imaging method available worldwide.

Eradication of esophageal varices by sclerotherapy combined with argon plasma coagulation: Effect of portal hemodynamics and longitudinal clinical course.

Background And Aim: To demonstrate the effect of endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) with argon plasma coagulation (APC) as a primary/secondary prophylaxis for esophageal varies (EV) on portal hemodynamics and long-term outcomes in cirrhosis.

Methods: This prospective study included 48 cirrhotic patients (64.5 ± 11.

Intensity-Based Assessment of Microbubble-Enhanced Ultrasonography: Phase-Related Diagnostic Ability for Cellular Differentiation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

This prospective study aimed to elucidate the effect of phase-related quantitative parameters of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with perflubutane microbubble agent to assess the cellular differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Intensity was analyzed in 94 lesions (19.4 ± 4.

Impact of portal hemodynamics on Doppler ultrasonography for predicting decompensation and long-term outcomes in patients with cirrhosis.

Objective: Significance of portal hemodynamics for non-invasive marker of cirrhosis remains unclear. The aim was to determine the value of portal hemodynamics on Doppler ultrasound for predicting decompensation and prognosis in cirrhosis.

Methods: This retrospective study comprised 236 cirrhotic patients (132 males, 104 females; age 63.

Well-tolerated portal hypertension and favorable prognosis in adult patients with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction in Japan.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical features and prognoses in adult patients with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHO) from the aspect of portal hypertension during the last 20 years in Japan.

Methods: There were 40 EHO patients (aged 21-77 years; mean ± standard deviation [SD], 54.6 ± 15.

Reversed portal flow: Clinical influence on the long-term outcomes in cirrhosis.

Aim: To elucidate the natural history and the longitudinal outcomes in cirrhotic patients with non-forward portal flow (NFPF).

Methods: The present retrospective study consisted of 222 cirrhotic patients (120 males and 102 females; age, 61.7 ± 11.

Hyponatremia: a significant factor in a poor prognosis for cirrhosis with Child A/B after variceal eradication.

Background: To identify prognostic factors prospectively in cirrhosis after the eradication of esophageal varices (EV).

Methods: There were 52 cirrhosis patients (Child-Pugh A 24, B 28) who showed the eradication of EV after the endoscopic sclerotherapy (median observation period, 25.5 months).

Differential Clinical Impact of Ascites in Cirrhosis and Idiopathic Portal Hypertension.

Cirrhosis and idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) are 2 major diseases showing portal hypertension. However, characteristics and outcomes of IPH with ascites have not yet been determined. The aim of the study was to examine the influence of ascites on the long-term clinical course of IPH.

Relationship and interaction between serum sodium concentration and portal hemodynamics in patients with cirrhosis.

Background And Aim: To examine the relationship between hyponatremia and portal hemodynamics and their effect on the prognosis of cirrhosis.

Methods: Portal hemodynamic parameters measured by Doppler ultrasound and serum sodium concentrations were examined in 153 cirrhosis patients (mean age 62.2 ± 12.

Liver Stiffness: A Significant Relationship with the Waveform Pattern in the Hepatic Vein.

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the relationship between liver stiffness and hepatic vein waveform patterns in 42 patients with chronic hepatitis and 55 with cirrhosis. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) values (FibroScan, Echosens, Paris, France) were significantly lower in the triphasic pattern group (11.3 ± 8.

Successful interventional treatment for arterioportal fistula caused by radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is commonly used as a treatment for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although several complications such as intraperitoneal bleeding are often observed after RFA, hepatic arterioportal fistula (APF) is a less frequently occurring complication. In this study, we describe two cases of APF caused by RFA, which was successfully occluded by an interventional approach.

Influence of splenorenal shunt on long-term outcomes in cirrhosis.

Objective: To examine the clinical effect of splenorenal shunt (SRS) on the long-term outcomes in patients with cirrhosis.

Methods: The study consisted of 162 cirrhosis patients (male 85, female 77; 62.6 ± 11.

Retrograde detection of the intrahepatic portal vein in primary biliary cirrhosis: is sinusoidal blockage the underlying pathophysiology?

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the underlying pathophysiological mechanism for portal hypertension in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) using radiological findings.

Patients And Methods: The study included 10 patients with PBC (Scheuer stage I, one patient; stage II, two patients; and cirrhosis, seven patients) and 29 patients with viral cirrhosis. Both groups underwent Doppler ultrasound and hepatic venous catheterization.

Potential stagnation in the splanchnic hemodynamics demonstrated by the dynamic microbubbles in chronic liver disease.

Background And Aim: Impaired splanchnic hemodynamics are well-documented phenomena in cirrhosis. However, comprehensive hemodynamic features from the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) to the superior mesenteric vein (SMV) via intestinal capillaries have not been studied. The aim was to examine splanchnic hemodynamics and their relationship with clinical presentations.

Impact of splenic circulation: non-invasive microbubble-based assessment of portal hemodynamics.

Objective: The objective was to examine the effect of splenic circulation using a microbubble agent to assess the severity of portal hypertension.

Methods: This prospective study consisted of 91 subjects (63.0 ± 12.

Hepatic filling rate of a microbubble agent: a novel predictor of long-term outcomes in patients with cirrhosis.

The aim of the study described here was to evaluate the significance of the hepatic filling rate of a perflubutane microbubble agent in predicting long-term outcomes and prognoses in 32 patients with cirrhosis (37-76 y, 20 females, Child-Pugh A16, B16). The time from delivery of the contrast agent to the hepatic artery to maximum enhancement of the liver parenchyma on the sonogram was defined as the hepatic filling rate (mean = 18.6 s).

Multiple comet tail artifacts in the liver: a case of congenital hepatic fibrosis showing unusual biliary appearance.

Congenital hepatic fibrosis (CHF) is a form of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease. Because of the common underlying pathophysiology of ductal plate malformation, CHF can be accompanied by an abnormal biliary appearance, which is characterized by a saccular or fusiform dilatation of the bile ducts. We encountered the case of a 35-year-old man suffering from CHF concomitant with esophageal varices, which were treated by endoscopic sclerotherapy.

Similarities and differences in the clinical features between cardia varices and esophageal varices.

Background And Aim: Little is known about the clinical features of cardia varices (CV). The aim was to examine the background, bleeding risk, and post-treatment outcomes of CV in patients with portal hypertension.

Methods: The subjects of this retrospective study were 277 patients (179 males, 98 females, 62.

Linoleate appears to protect against palmitate-induced inflammation in Huh7 cells.

Background: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may protect against metabolic diseases. Although the benefits of the n-3 family of PUFA have been well investigated in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), little is known about the effect of the n-6 family. This study examined the effect of linoleate, a member of the n-6 family, on regulation of the palmitate-induced inflammatory cytokine interleukin-8 (IL8) in hepatocytes.