Role of Ultrasound in the Diagnosis Of Jaundice in KSA

Abstract

The wide range of causes of jaundice demands ultrasound evaluation to differentiate between the most common three causes: hepatic, hemolytic and obstructive causes. In all three conditions ultrasound plays an important role. In this study, we present a broad overview of the subject, with discussions of the wide series of causes of jaundice (hemolytic, hepatic, and posthepatic) in the jaundiced patient and descriptions of the ultrasonographic findings and those of correlative imaging studies when needed. The accuracy of diagnosing jaundice using ultrasound was 89%, and it is highly accurate in differentiating obstructive and nonubstructive jaundice (96%). The study include 108 patients. They are clinically jaundiced, Ultrasound examination was done, include all abdominal organs (liver , G/B, CBD, pancreas, spleen, portal vein, kidneys, and pelvic organs ). 50% of the patients got abstractive jaundice the most common cause was, GB and CBD stones, pancreatic carcinoma, cholanitis, pancreatitis. 42% was found to have hepatic jaundice (cirrhosis, hepatitis fatty liver, HCC). 11% of the patients Ultrasound reveal normal appearance. 4 of them was neonatal jaundice due to physiological process. The remain (7) patients have hemolytic jaundice (sickle cell anemia).