KUMJ | VOL. 22 | NO. 3 | ISSUE 87 | JULY-SEPTEMBER 2024

Correlation between Computed Tomography and Ultrasonography Findings in Patients with Fatty Liver
Kayastha P, Paudel S, Chapagain P, Shingh SS, Adhikari B, Joshi S, Katwal S

Abstract:
Background Fatty liver disease, linked to obesity, alcohol consumption, and insulin resistance, is characterized by pathological fat deposition exceeding 5%. Its rising global prevalence, particularly in Southeast Asia, highlights the need for effective diagnostic modalities. Objective To find the correlation between computed tomography and ultrasonography findings in patients with fatty liver. Method A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 211 patients from December 2016 to October 2017. Patients referred for computed tomography chest and abdomen were included, excluding those with diffuse or focal liver disease other than fatty liver. Computed tomography attenuation values were measured using noncontrast sequences, with participants showing mean hepatic attenuation less than +48 Hounsfield units subjected to further ultrasound and shear wave elastography examinations. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS, with associations examined through Pearson correlation, ANOVA and Shapiro-Wilk test. Result The study included 100 males and 111 females, aged 21 to 65 years. The mean computed tomography attenuation was +40.31 Hounsfield units. A moderately strong negative correlation was found between Computed Tomography attenuation and ultrasound grades of fatty liver (Spearman’s coefficient = -0.775, p = 0.005). No significant correlation was observed between computed tomography attenuation and shear wave elastography values, nor between patient age and hepatic attenuation. Conclusion This study demonstrates a significant correlation between computed tomography attenuation and ultrasound grades of fatty liver, highlighting their complementary roles in diagnosing fatty liver disease. However, no significant correlation was found between computed tomography attenuation and shear wave elastography values.
Keyword : Attenuation, Computed tomography, Elastography, Fatty liver, Ultrasound