[A 4-year evaluation of ultrasonographic studies of liver pathology at the CNHU at Cotonou: apropos of 632 tests].

This four year evaluation at the CNHU in Cotonou had the aim to assess the frequency and to define any particular aspects of liver disease as diagnosed by ultrasound examination. The study included 632 patients, aged from 15 to 87 years, who came from throughout Benin for examination by abdominal echography. Abdominal pains, abdominal masses and hepatalgia were the most common justifications for the examination. However, there was no clinical information for 8.08% of the patients. Homogeneous hepatomegalies were comprised of steatosis (3.78%), cardiac congestive liver (2.69%) and cirrhosis (2.53%) which could be diagnosed only in homogeneous forms. The heterogeneous cirrhosis forms were compounded with hepatocellular carcinoma (5.06%) in diffuse and micronodular forms. To improve the diagnosis of these two diseases it is necessary to develop the biopsy-puncture procedure as part of the pathological examination.