Liver and spleen volumes are associated with prognosis of compensated and decompensated cirrhosis and parallel its natural history

Evolution of splenomegaly in liver cirrhosis: Simulation using an electronic circuit

PURPOSE

The evolution of splenomegaly in patients with liver cirrhosis remains largely unknown. In this study, we followed the changes in splenic volume and established the natural course of splenomegaly. We developed an electronic circuit that simulated splenoportal circulation and identified the underlying hemodynamic mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective observational study included 93 patients with cirrhosis. Splenic volumes were measured in imaging studies at 6-month intervals and normalized by the ratio of each patient's maximum volume during follow-up (%Vmax). An electronic simulation model was constructed using software and realized on a breadboard.

RESULTS

Overall, the %Vmax increased from 0.77 ​± ​0.21 to a maximum of 1.00 ​± ​0.00 (p ​< ​0.001) during a median follow-up of 23 (3-162) months and then decreased to 0.84 ​± ​0.18 (p ​< ​0.001) during the next 9 (3-132) months. No interventional radiology procedure was performed to improve hepatic fibrosis and portal hypertension. The evolution of %Vmax showed single-peaked symmetry. An electronic simulation model showed that the upslope of the evolution curve was dependent on the increased intrahepatic vascular resistance and portal hypertension, whereas the downslope was dependent on the decreased portosystemic shunt (PSS) resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

Splenomegaly in cirrhotic patients aggravated over a period of 23 months and then regressed spontaneously to its initial volume. Electronic simulation of splenoportal circulation showed that splenic enlargement was due to the advancement of liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension, whereas its regression was due to the development of a PSS.

CT-derived liver and spleen volume accurately diagnose clinically significant portal hypertension in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Background & Aims

Clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) is a landmark in the natural history of cirrhosis, influencing clinical decisions in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Previous small series suggested that splanchnic volume measurements may predict portal hypertension. We aimed to evaluate whether volumetry obtained by standard multidetector computerised tomography (MDCT) can predict CSPH in patients with HCC.

Methods

We included 175 patients with HCC, referred for hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) evaluation, in whom contemporary MDCT was available. Liver volume, spleen volume (SV) and liver segmental volume ratio (LSVR: volume of the segments I-III/volume of the segments IV-VIII) were calculated semi-automatically from MDCT. Other non-invasive tests (NITs) were also employed.

Results

Volume parameters could be measured in almost 100% of cases with an excellent inter-observer agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient >0.950). SV and LSVR were independently associated with CSPH (HVPG ≥10 mmHg) and did not interact with aetiology. The volume Index (VI), calculated as the product of SV and LSVR, predicted CSPH (AUC 0.83; 95% CI 0.77-0.89). Similar results were observed in an external cohort (n = 23) (AUC 0.87; 95% CI 0.69-1.00). Setting a sensitivity and specificity of 98%, VI could have avoided 35.9% of HVPG measurements. The accuracy of VI was similar to that of other NITs. VI also accurately predicted HVPG greater than 12, 14, 16 and 18 mmHg (AUC 0.81 [95% CI 0.74-0.88], 0.84 [95% CI 0.77-0.91], 0.85 [95% CI 0.77-0.92] and 0.87 [95% CI 0.79-0.94], respectively).

Conclusions

Quantification of liver and spleen volumes by MDCT is a simple, accurate and reliable method of CSPH estimation in patients with compensated cirrhosis and HCC.

Impact and implications

An increase in portal pressure strongly impacts outcomes after surgery in patients with early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Direct measurement through hepatic vein catheterization remains the reference standard for portal pressure assessment, but its invasiveness limits its application. Therefore, we evaluated the ability of CT scan-based liver and spleen volume measurements to predict portal hypertension in patients with HCC. Our results indicate that the newly described index, based on quantification of liver and spleen volume, accurately predicts portal hypertension. These results suggest that a single imaging test may be used to diagnose and stage HCC, while providing an accurate estimation of portal hypertension, thus helping to stratify surgical risks.