How is Hepatitis diagnosed using Radiological equipment in the Hospital 


Hepatitis
Hepatitis is the inflammation of the Liver

Hepatitis is simply the inflammation of the Liver. The Liver is a delicate organ that processes nutrients, fights infections, filters blood. The Liver is said to carry out the function of detoxification of the body.

Inflammation of the Liver deteriorates these functions and thus may be life threatening. Excessive alcohol use, certain medications, toxins, and virus are some of the causes of Liver inflammation.

Although, according to researches, alcohol induced hepatitis are non-infectious. 

Types Of Hepatitis

Viral Induced hepatitis include hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. For each there is a virus responsible.

Hepatitis A is always an acute, short term disease, whereas,hepatitis B, to D are most likely to become ongoing and chronic. Hepatitis E is usually acute but can be particularly dangerous in pregnant women.

Symptoms of Hepatitis

Hepatitis B and C may not present with symptoms in the beginning. The symptoms may not arise until liver functions are damaged.

Thus, symptoms of Acute hepatitis

  • Fatigue
  • Dark Urine
  • Pale stool
  • Jaundice
  • Abdominal pain
  • Loss of appetite

Radiological Diagnosis of Hepatitis


ULTRASONOGRAPHY

This involves the use of and ultrasound emitting device. The Ultrasound device uses sound waves to produce a pattern of echoes as they reflect off organs in your body. These echoes create black and white images of the inner body organs on the screen of the Sonographer for diagnosis. Tumors produce echoes that are different from the echoes made by healthy tissues.

ANGIOGRAPHY

This is an X-ray exam that includes injecting a special dye known as a contrast to outline the arteries that drain blood to the liver and the liver cancer tumor. This is used by health care providers to determine the possibility of surgically removing a tumor from the liver organ.

Read more on the X-ray here

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT)

The CT scanner is a high X-ray intensity machine that is linked to a computer. The Computed Tomography machine takes seriesn of deatiled images from different angles around the body. These images are passed to the computer for reconstruction, and thus diagnosis.


MRI (MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING)

The MRI makes use of radio waves and a large strong magnet to create detailed images of soft tissues inside the body. MRI machines do not make use of X-rays, it is thus safe. In some cases, the Technician may inject a dye known a contrast into the body of the patient. This dye aids in more detailed visualization of body structures, especially in cases of tumor like hepatitis. This contrast runs through the vessels supplying the liver and the tumor. MRI is very accurate in differentiating between benign (non cancerous) tumor and malignant tumor (cancerous).


LAPAROSCOPY

To directly visualize the liver and other internal organs, a Doctor inserts a lighted, thin tube called a Laparoscope, constituting a small videao camera on the end through a small cut in front of the abdomen. Doctors can also remove biopsy samples through the laparoscope if deemed necessary. The samples later undergo microscopic check to confirm the diagnosis of the tumour. This methods helps confirm the extent of the cancer.