Evaluation of ultrasonic and scintigraphic studies of the liver.

Ultrasonic and scintigraphic examination of the liver took place in 148 patients. 29 had normal livers, 36 had cirrhosis, 11 had obstructive jaundice, 12 had fatty livers, 60 had focal liver defects. In case of diffuse liver disease the accuracy of both methods is about the same except for fatty liver which is poorly diagnosed by scintigraphy. Focal liver disease is determined with a relative high percentage false-negative for scintigraphy and a relative high percentage false-positive for echography. It is recognized that previous knowledge of the scintigraphic result may raise the accuracy of ultrasound examination of the liver. As echography could distinguish cystic from solid lesions both methods of liver imaging are considered complementary.