Hepatic encephalopathy is a decline in brain function that occurs when the liver cannot adequately remove toxins, particularly ammonia, from the blood. It is most commonly seen in patients with advanced cirrhosis or acute liver failure. While hepatic encephalopathy itself is diagnosed clinically, these patients often have characteristic ultrasound findings of chronic liver disease, including a nodular liver surface, coarsened echotexture, and signs of portal hypertension such as splenomegaly, ascites, and collateral vessels. Recognizing these ultrasound findings is important because they help establish the underlying cause of the patient’s neurological symptoms.
Sonography Term