Albumin and Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Liver Volume to Identify Hepatitis C-related Cirrhosis and Esophageal Varices

Abstract

Background: Liver cirrhosis is the 3rd leading cause of death globally, with increasing mortality rate worldwide portal hypertension is a frequent consequence in the progress of liver cirrhosis and plays a crucial role in the progression of the disease. One of the most serious complications of portal hypertension is the development of esophageal varices. Objective: To evaluate the changes in the liver lobes volume with that of albumin as non-invasive predictors of liver cirrhosis and esophageal varices. Patients and methods: One hundred cases are chosen and classified into four groups as 20 healthy as controls, 20 cases HCV without cirrhosis, 40 cases with cirrhosis but without varices, and 20 cirrhotic cases with varices. All participants undergo magnetic resonance imaging for liver lobes volume, biochemical analysis of serum albumin. All cirrhotic patients are exposed to upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy to differentiate cirrhotic with or without varices. Statistical analysis was done to determine the combination of liver lobes volume change together with albumin changes to predict the severity of cirrhosis and for esophageal varices. Results: RV, LMV, LLV, and albumin are significantly lower in cases of cirrhosis and LMV/albumin LLV/ALB, CV/Albumin shows a more significant difference in cirrhotics with varices. Conclusion: From the results of our study we conclude that MRI liver lobes volume and albumin are good predictors noninvasive markers of liver cirrhosis.