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Background/aims: Evaluation of the degree of hepatic fibrosis is especially important in patients with chronic liver disease. Our aim was to study the diagnostic accuracy of abdominal ultrasonography for cirrhosis or fibrosis., Methods: Twenty-three clinical (n=12) and Doppler ultrasonic (n=11) variables were recorded in 243 patients with chronic (alcoholic and viral) liver disease under conditions close to those of clinical practice. Fibrosis was classified into six grades by two pathologists. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by discriminant analysis, first globally using all variables, then by stepwise analysis., Results: A) Diagnosis of cirrhosis: 1) whole group (n=243): diagnostic accuracy was globally 84%, and 84% with two variables: spleen length, portal velocity; 2) compensated chronic liver disease (n=191): diagnostic accuracy was globally 85%, and 82% with two variables: liver surface, liver length (right kidney); 3) alcoholic compensated chronic liver disease (n=109): diagnostic accuracy was globally 86%, and 88% with two variables: spleen length, liver length (middle clavicle); 4) viral compensated chronic liver disease (n= 83): diagnostic accuracy was globally 86% and 86% with one variable: liver surface. By subtracting the proportion of patients who could not be investigated due to anatomical limitations, the highest calculated univariate diagnostic accuracy decreased by 7%. B) Diagnosis of fibrosis: diagnostic accuracy was globally 84% for extensive fibrosis., Conclusions: Cirrhosis can be correctly diagnosed in 82-88% of patients with chronic liver disease using a few ultrasonographic signs. However, the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound is decreased by the anatomical limitations of this technique.

Background: The main objective of this prospective study was to evaluate the independent diagnostic accuracy of gastroesophageal endoscopic signs for cirrhosis., Methods: Endoscopic signs were evaluated in vivo by one observer and on standardized videotape recordings by a consensus opinion of two endoscopists, with the stomach and esophagus examined both separately ("blind video") and together ("unblind video") in 168 consecutive patients with cirrhosis (n = 91), with non-cirrhotic liver disease (n = 29), and without liver disease (n = 48). The results were then tested in 149 different patients., Results: Discriminant analysis of the "blind video" examination, considered to be the reference examination, showed that esophageal varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy had independent diagnostic accuracy (> or = 87%) for cirrhosis regardless of control group. However, in the "unblind video" and in in vivo examinations with different control groups, these results were altered. Prior knowledge of gastric patterns influenced the assessment of esophageal patterns. There was no independent association between portal hypertensive gastropathy or esophageal varices and the etiology of liver disease or the Child-Pugh score., Conclusions: When methodologic biases are eliminated, esophageal varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy have independent diagnostic accuracy for cirrhosis: esophageal varices had a diagnostic accuracy of 77% at the first step and increased to 89% with portal hypertensive gastropathy at the second step.