An approach to clinical taxonomy of liver echinococcosis

Abstract

Objective To study clinical taxonomy of live echinococcosis for the purpose of suggesting a novel taxonomic design. Methods Twenty years ago, the author preliminarily offered a clinical taxonomy on the basis of 20 selected cases[1]. In recent years, a further research has been completed. According to the methods of parasitology, infective route, symptoms, pathology, ultrasound etc. ,315 echinococcosis cases that we collected in many years were classified. Results According to parasitological taxonomy, all patients were classified into 215 cystic echinococcosis (CE) and 100 alveolar echinococcosis (AE) cases. According to pathology taxonomy, there were 186 primary and 29 secondary CE cases, 94 primary liver AE cases and 6 secondary AE metastasis cases. According to clinical manifestations, there were 170 simple type and 45 complex type CE cases. According to pathological observation under naked eyes, AE cases were divided into 7 nodular type,25 giant block type and 12 mixed type. By ultrasonic taxonomy, CE cases included 16 simple cyst type, 18 hydatid characteristics type, 82 intracapsular abnormal echo type, 18 calcified type and 2 compound type. In AE cases, 65 abnormal strong echo type, 9 central necrotic type and 8 calcified necrosis type were involved.Conclusion Clinical taxonomy of echinococcosis would be significant, not only for choosing surgery or chemotherapy, but also for evaluating the prognosis. Therefore it ought to be a key part of echinococcosis diagnosis. Key words: Approach; Clinical taxonomy; Echinococcosis; Liver