Gray-scale ultrasound in hepatic cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis: diagnosis, screening, and intervention.

Chronic hepatitis and hepatic cirrhosis are pathologies with high prevalence in the world population. Ultrasound (US) allows for a quick and precise examination of the liver parenchyma, the vascular structures, the biliary tract, and the abdominal cavity. Changes can be detected in the pattern of liver echostructure that suggest the presence of chronic liver disease, portal hypertension, and the presence of liver tumors. Moreover, US guidance provides an easy way for performing interventional procedures, such as biopsies for classifying the degree and type of liver disease, biopsies of focal liver lesions, and the application of percutaneous treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this article we discuss the multiple applications of US in the management of patients with chronic liver disease.