Diagnostic value of echotomography in alcoholic liver disease.

In 32 patients with alcoholic liver disease a comparison was made between the classical liver morphologic changes (laparoscopic and histologic) and the echotomographic aspects, to demonstrate the diagnostic value of the latter. Though the echographic changes were nonspecific, they supply some indications on the anatomoclinical form of disease. The only element of echotomography with certain value is the differentiation between cirrhosis and the other forms: steatosis and alcoholic hepatitis. To this, some possibilities of detecting incipient fibrosis and concomitant involvement of the pancreas can also be added.