SUMMARY Liver ultrasound was prospectively evaluated in 104 subjects who underwent liver biopsy, including 24 patients without evidence of liver disease (controls), and 80 with a broad spectrum of liver pathology. Ultrasonography was very specific (100%) and moderately sensitive (70%) in the detection of liver pathology, and hepatic neoplasms, steatosis, and fibrosis were detected by ultrasound in 80%, 80%, and 67% of cases respectively. In addition, ultrasonography diagnosed other pathologies-mainly biliary tract disease and abdominal neoplasms-in 26% of the patients.Ultrasound is an 'effective regional-imaging device based on morphology'.' Gray-scale signal processing allows a detailed analysis of texture patterns of solid organs and thus the characterisation of both diffuse pathological processes and space-occupying lesions.The contours and the echotexture of internal organs are outlined and changes in adjacent viscera delineated. Real-time imaging decreases examination time, and allows a quick and complete survey of the region of interest.Liver ultrasound thus has the ability to detect diffuse as well as focal liver disease by analysis of the liver texture and may define associated abnormalities such as ascites or splenomegaly. Different patterns of metastatic liver disease have been described23 and an accuracy of 90 % has been claimed.4 Diffuse hepatocellular disease may produce changes in liver echo pattern and an accuracy of 81 % has been recorded in a retrospective study.5In order to evaluate the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of liver ultrasound, a prospective study was undertaken of patients undergoing liver biopsy for evaluation of liver disease and controls undergoing abdominal surgery for various reasons. Methods PATIENTSA careful ultrasonographic examination of the liver was performed in 110 consecutive patients before

The aim of this study was to analyze the color Doppler sonographic findings in primary epiploic appendagitis. Color Doppler sonographic findings of ten patients with primary epiploic appendagitis were reviewed. The following sonographic features were analyzed: identification of a mass adjacent to the colonic wall; identification of spotty color areas with arterial flow in this mass and detection of abnormalities of the colonic wall adjacent to the infiltrated fatty tissue. A well-delineated hyperechoic mass adjacent to the colonic wall was detected in each patient with sonography. No colonic wall abnormalities were observed nor color Doppler signal in and around the hyperechoic area. Absence of flow at color Doppler sonography is an additional feature of epiploic appendagitis.

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We describe a case of pancreatic cystosis in an 18-year-old man suffering from cystic fibrosis, who presented with acute epigastric pain. Ultrasound and computed tomographic studies revealed multiple pancreatic cysts of various size, measuring up to 5 cm. Pancreatic macrocystosis is an extremely rare manifestation in cystic fibrosis.

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