The Chest Radiograph in “Juvenile” Cirrhosis (Active Chronic Hepatitis)

The chest radiographs of 60 patients suffering from “juvenile” cirrhosis (active chronic hepatitis) were examined. Twenty-three patients with alcoholic cirrhosis were also studied. In 24 of the cases of juvenile cirrhosis the radiographs were abnormal. The abnormalities included pulmonary collapse, pleural effusion, cardiac enlargement, and mottled shadowing in the lung fields. There was a high incidence of disease of other organs, notably ulcerative colitis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and renal or joint changes of systemic lupus erythematosus. The relation of the radiographic changes to fluid retention, systematic lupus erythematosus, hyperkinetic circulation and intrapulmonary shunting is discussed.