Ultrasonography in asymptomatic patients with abnormal biochemical liver tests.

A substantial number of patients referred for ultrasound examination of the liver, biliary tract, and pancreas are asymptomatic but have abnormal biochemical liver test results. Retrospective evaluations were made of abdominal ultrasonographies in 286 such patients (159 men and 127 women). Normal studies were found in 104 of the men (65%) and 78 of the women (61%). Cholecystolithiasis with or without chronic cholecystitis was found in 24 of the men (15%) and 36 of the women (28%); diffuse liver parenchyma disease was found in 21 of the men (13%) and 7 of the women (6%). Other significant abnormalities were chronic pancreatitis (3), carcinoma of the gallbladder (2), liver metastasis (2), hepatocellular carcinoma (1), lymphoma (1), and ampullary carcinoma (1). Ultrasonography is a suitable technique for evaluation of asymptomatic patients with abnormal biochemical liver test results, and we have adopted it as the method of choice in this setting.