Evaluation of sonography and skin test in diagnosis of clonorchiasis at the Hyongsan-gang (river) area

Abstract

This study was performed to evaluate diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of sonography on clonorchiasis. During the 9 months from March to November 1994, sonography, skin test, stool examination, and medical examination were performed to 609 volunteers of Pohang which is located along the Hyongsan-gang (River) and is one of well-known endemic areas of clonorchiasis. The sensitivity of sonography was either 21% if the intrahepatic ducts dilatation was assumed to be the only positive finding or 52% if the periductal echogenicity was also included as one of positive findings. The sensitivity of skin test was 62%. The sensitivity was 46% if the diagnostic criteria were arbitrarily assumed as being positive in skin test and having either sonographic findings. The sonographic finding of fusiform, non-shadowing, weakly echogenic foci in gallbladder or in biliary tree indicating the flukes or aggregates of flukes was not obvious in this study. The specificity of sonography was either 95% if the intrahepatic ducts dilatation was assumed to be the only positive finding or 82% if the periductal echogenicity was also included as one of positive findings. The specificity of skin test was 52%. The specificity was 90% if the diagnostic criteria was arbitrarily assumed as being positive in skin test and having either sonographic findings.