Diagnostic Accuracy of Non-Invasive Hepatic Ultrasound Score for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Keeping Computed Tomography as a Gold Standard

Abstract

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive hepatic ultrasound score for the diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by keeping computed tomography. (CT) as the gold standard.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Radiology and Imaging Rawalpindi from Dec 2017 to May 2018.

Methodology: All patients from any ethnicity and gender with more than 18 and less than 60 years of age were considered for the study. Hepatic ultrasound score based on the anteroposterior diameter of the right lobe of the liver, deep beam attenuation was calculated, and results were compared with CT scan findings.

Results: A total of 101 patients were included. A total of 69 patients had a total Ultrasound score of 2 or more, fulfilling the study’s criteria to be labelled as Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. On a CT scan, 71 patients fulfilled the criteria to be labelled as having Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Keeping the Computed Tomography scan gold standard, 59 patients were true positive, and 10 were false positive. The sensitivity and specificity of this score were 83.09 % and 66.67%, respectively. The hepatic ultrasound score had a Positive Predictive Value of 85.50% and a Negative Predictive Value of 62.5%.

Conclusion: Ultrasound score based on hepatic attenuation and the anteroposterior diameter of the right hepatic lobe is a reliable, reproducible and accurate tool for diagnosing Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.