Ultrasound in chronic liver disease

• Diffuse liver disease is becoming more prevalent and there is a strong clinical need for noninvasive detection. • Portal hypertension can be best diagnosed by demonstrating portosystemic collateral venous flow. • B-mode US is the principal US technique supplemented by portal system Doppler. • B-mode US is relied upon in HCC surveillance, and CEUS is useful in the evaluation of possible HCC. • Fibrosis can be detected and staged with reasonable accuracy using TE and ARFI. • US detection of steatosis is currently reasonably accurate but grading of severity is of limited accuracy.