Standards of the Polish Ultrasound Society - update. The liver, gallbladder and bile ducts examinations

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Abnormal Liver Function Tests

Liver function tests are commonly obtained in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Various overlapping lab patterns can be seen due to derangement of hepatocytes and bile ducts function. Imaging tests are pursued to identify underlying etiology and guide management based on the lab results. Liver function tests may reveal mild, moderate, or severe hepatocellular predominance and can be seen in alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver disease, acute hepatitis, and acute liver injury due to other causes. Cholestatic pattern with elevated alkaline phosphatase with or without elevated γ-glutamyl transpeptidase can be seen with various causes of obstructive biliopathy. Acute or subacute cholestasis with conjugated or unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia can be seen due to prehepatic, intrahepatic, or posthepatic causes. We discuss the initial and complementary imaging modalities to be used in clinical scenarios presenting with abnormal liver function tests. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision process support the systematic analysis of the medical literature from peer reviewed journals. Established methodology principles such as Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE are adapted to evaluate the evidence. The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method User Manual provides the methodology to determine the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where peer reviewed literature is lacking or equivocal, experts may be the primary evidentiary source available to formulate a recommendation.

Optimization of diagnostic ultrasonography of the gallbladder based on own experience and literature

Although transabdominal imaging of the gallbladder has become a gold standard, new light should be shed on some aspects, which will prove useful in everyday practice. Therefore, based on our own experience and the available literature, we would like to draw attention to those elements of gallbladder ultrasound imaging which may increase its diagnostic efficacy. The paper draws attention to the difficulty in assessing certain anatomical structures, such as the inferior wall, the bottom and the region of the neck of the gallbladder, and offers ways to improve their imaging. We also emphasized the negative effects of duodenal and transverse colon (along with their contents) adhesion to the bottom of the gallbladder on the correct diagnosis. Due to the importance of size in the management strategy for detected gallbladder polyps, we suggest their measurement on an image enlarged with the zoom function. This technique also allows for an accurate assessment of the shape and echostructure of these lesions. An enlarged image of a polyp makes it possible to trace its behavior in time. We also remind that the hepatic wall of the gallbladder is the only site allowing for a reliable wall thickness measurement. We also pointed to the importance of changing patient's position when assessing the mobility and the nature of lesions. Altering patient's position during examination may help detect anomalies in the form of a floating gallbladder, which may promote its torsion. Finally, pathologies whose diagnosis may be facilitated by color-coded blood flow imaging are also presented. The issues discussed in this paper are only a fraction of problems faced by an ultrasound operator in the field of gallbladder diagnostic imaging. However, the proposed ultrasound approaches should help solve some of these problems in everyday practice.

Although transabdominal imaging of the gallbladder has become a gold standard, new light should be shed on some aspects, which will prove useful in everyday practice. Therefore, based on our own experience and the available literature, we would like to draw attention to those elements of gallbladder ultrasound imaging which may increase its diagnostic efficacy. The paper draws attention to the difficulty in assessing certain anatomical structures, such as the inferior wall, the bottom and the region of the neck of the gallbladder, and offers ways to improve their imaging. We also emphasized the negative effects of duodenal and transverse colon (along with their contents) adhesion to the bottom of the gallbladder on the correct diagnosis. Due to the importance of size in the management strategy for detected gallbladder polyps, we suggest their measurement on an image enlarged with the zoom function. This technique also allows for an accurate assessment of the shape and echostructure of these lesions. An enlarged image of a polyp makes it possible to trace its behavior in time. We also remind that the hepatic wall of the gallbladder is the only site allowing for a reliable wall thickness measurement. We also pointed to the importance of changing patient’s position when assessing the mobility and the nature of lesions. Altering patient’s position during examination may help detect anomalies in the form of a floating gallbladder, which may promote its torsion. Finally, pathologies whose diagnosis may be facilitated by color-coded blood flow imaging are also presented. The issues discussed in this paper are only a fraction of problems faced by an ultrasound operator in the field of gallbladder diagnostic imaging. However, the proposed ultrasound approaches should help solve some of these problems in everyday practice.

Intra-abdominal fat. Part I. The images of the adipose tissue localized beyond organs

Unaltered fat is a permanent component of the abdominal cavity, even in slim individuals. Visceral adiposity is one of the important factors contributing to diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and certain neoplasms. Moreover, the adipose tissue is an important endocrine and immune organ of complex function both when normal and pathological. Its role in plastic surgery, reconstruction and transplantology is a separate issue. The adipose tissue has recently drawn the attention of research institutes owing to being a rich source of stem cells. This review, however, does not include these issues. The identification of fat is relatively easy using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. It can be more difficult in an ultrasound examination for several reasons. The aim of this paper is to present various problems associated with US imaging of unaltered intra-abdominal fat located beyond organs. Based on the literature and experience, it has been demonstrated that the adipose tissue in the abdominal cavity has variable echogenicity, which primarily depends on the amount of extracellular fluid and the number of connective tissue septa, i.e. elements that potentiate the number of areas that reflect and scatter ultrasonic waves. The normal adipose tissue presents itself on a broad gray scale: from a hyperechoic area, through numerous structures of lower reflection intensity, to nearly anechoic regions mimicking the presence of pathological fluid collections. The features that facilitate proper identification of this tissue are: sharp margins, homogeneous structure, high compressibility under transducer pressure, no signs of infiltration of the surrounding structures and no signs of vascularization when examined with the color and power Doppler. The accumulation of fat tissue in the abdominal cavity can be generalized, regional or focal. The identification of the adipose tissue in the abdominal cavity using ultrasonography is not always easy. When in doubt, the diagnostic process should be extended to include computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, or sometimes biopsy (preferably the core-needle one).

Ultrasound imaging of the liver and bile ducts - expectations of a clinician

Since diseases of the liver and bile ducts are common, a clinician is faced by the need to implement an appropriate diagnostic process. It is necessary to apply diagnostic methods that enable appropriate assessment of the most common pathologies of the liver, i.e. fibrosis, steatosis and focal lesions, as well as initial assessment of the bile ducts. These goals can be achieved using ultrasound methods based on conventional sonography, contrast-enhanced sonography and elastography. The assessment of fatty liver and bile duct dilatation using ultrasound reaches satisfactory levels of sensitivity and specificity. The usage of contrast agents enables unambiguous differentiation between benign and malignant focal lesions, frequently allowing them to be identified accurately without the assistance of other imaging modalities. Elastography has enabled reliable assessment of liver fibrosis. Its results are comparable to those of the standard method, i.e. liver biopsy.

Standards of the Polish Ultrasound Society - update. Ultrasound examination of thyroid gland and ultrasound-guided thyroid biopsy

Ultrasonography is a primary imaging technique in patients with suspected thyroid disease. It allows to assess the location, size and echostructures of the thyroid gland as well as detect focal lesions, along with indication of their size, echogenicity, echostructure and vascularity. Based on these features, ultrasound examination allows to predict abnormal focal lesions for biopsy and monitor the biopsy needle track. This paper presents the standards of thyroid ultrasound examination regarding ultrasound apparatus technical requirements, scanning techniques, readings, measurements, and the description of the examination. It discusses the ultrasound features of increased malignancy risk in focal lesions (nodules) found in the thyroid gland. It presents indications for fine needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid gland for the visibility of single nodules (focal lesions) and numerous lesions as well as discusses contraindications for thyroid biopsy. It describes the biopsy technique, possible complications and rules for post-biopsy monitoring of benign lesions. The paper is an update of the Standards of the Polish Ultrasound Society issued in 2011. It has been prepared on the basis of current literature, taking into account the information contained in the following publications: Thyroid ultrasound examination and Recommendations of the Polish Ultrasound Society for the performance of the FNAB of the thyroid.

Bile Duct Strictures Caused by Solid Masses: MR in Differential Diagnosis and as a Prognostic Tool to Plan the Endoscopic Treatment

The aim of the study was to assess how realiable is differential diagnosis and prognosis for endoscopic treatment with MR signal characteristics as the qualitative parameter and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) images in cases of bile duct obstructions caused by solid masses. Material and Methods. Retrospective study of MR and MRCP images in 80 patients (mean age 58 ys) was conducted. Mean signal intensity ratio (SIR) from planar MR images and MRCP linear measurements were compared between benign and malignant lesions and in groups including the size and number of stents placed during ERCP (< 10 F <) in 51 cases in which ERCP was performed. Results. Significantly higher SIR values were encountered in malignant lesions in T2W images (r = 0,0003) and STIR T2W images (r = 0,0002). Malignant lesions were characterised by longer strictures (r = 0,0071) and greater proximal biliary duct dilatation (r = 0,0024). High significance for predicting ERCP conditions was found with mean SIR in STIR T2W images and stricture length. Conclusion. Probability of malignancy of solid lesions obstructing biliary duct increased with higher SIR in T2W images and with longer strictures. Passing the stricture during ERCP treatment was easier and more probable in cases of shorter strictures caused by lesions with higher SIR in STIR T2W images.