Staging of liver disease: which option is right for my patient?

Harjit Bhogal; Richard K Sterling

doi:10.1016/j.idc.2012.08.002

Staging of liver disease: which option is right for my patient?

Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2012 Dec;26(4):849-61. doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2012.08.002.

Authors

Harjit Bhogal¹, Richard K Sterling

Affiliation

¹ Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.

PMID: 23083819
DOI: 10.1016/j.idc.2012.08.002

Abstract

It is important to assess the stage of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C to guide treatment decisions. Liver biopsy has limitations in staging fibrosis. Several blood tests, algorithms, and imaging tests have been studied as noninvasive markers to stage fibrosis in hepatitis C. In patients without suspicion for cirrhosis, 2 noninvasive methods can be used to predict presence of absence of significant liver fibrosis; however, liver biopsy remains the gold standard. It is imperative not to miss the diagnosis of cirrhosis, because this has further implications for screening of hepatocellular carcinoma and varices.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Algorithms
Biomarkers / analysis
Biopsy
Diagnostic Imaging
Hepatitis C, Chronic / diagnosis
Hepatitis C, Chronic / metabolism
Hepatitis C, Chronic / pathology*
Hepatitis C, Chronic / virology
Humans
Liver Cirrhosis / diagnosis
Liver Cirrhosis / metabolism
Liver Cirrhosis / pathology*
Liver Cirrhosis / virology*
Severity of Illness Index

Substances

Biomarkers