Quantitative US attenuation in normal liver and in XXXX with diffuse liver disease: importance of fat.

@entity1 @entity82 @entity1560
Two methods are used to estimate ultrasound attenuation in liver. These were based on amplitude change and frequency change as a result of depth dependent attenuation. Evaluation of the two methods against a family of calibrated phantoms yielded correlation coefficients of 0.98 and 0.99, respectively. Liver attenuation in 26 control subjects was 0.50 and 0.52 dB/MHz/cm, respectively. Liver attenuation was estimated in 50 @entity1 who later underwent liver biopsy. Comparison with quantitative histologic results showed that the presence of fat alone accounted for the increased attenuation associated with @entity82 . Similar high attenuation values were found in @entity1 with @entity1560 . @entity82 alone did not result in elevated liver attenuation. Cirrhotics without @entity1560 had attenuation similar to that of the controls. Mechanisms of action are discussed.
