Radiology, Vol 149, 541-543, Copyright © 1983 by Radiological Society of North America
Patterns of resolution in successfully treated hepatic amebic abscess: sonographic evaluation
PW Ralls, MF Quinn, WD Boswell Jr, PM Colletti, DR Radin and J Halls
Gray-scale sonography has provided a means of following cases of
successfully treated hepatic amebic abscess, allowing new insights into the
natural history of this entity. In this study the majority of cases (23 of
32) resolved over a variable time period (1.5-23 months, median 7 months)
to a normal sonographic hepatic parenchymal pattern. It is important that
the transient, persistent abnormality seen after successful treatment not
prompt reinstitution of therapy or further diagnostic testing in these
patients. A smaller subgroup (six of 32) had sonographically persistent
residua that appeared identical to benign simple cysts of the liver. The
remaining three lesions showed slightly increased or decreased hepatic
echogenicity after treatment.
