Hepatic failure, or liver failure, occurs when the liver loses its ability to carry out its essential functions, including filtering toxins, producing proteins, and processing nutrients. It can develop acutely over days to weeks or chronically over years as the end stage of progressive liver disease. On ultrasound, acute liver failure may show a normal-sized or enlarged liver with variable echogenicity, while chronic liver failure typically shows signs of cirrhosis. Doppler evaluation of the hepatic vasculature, including the portal vein, hepatic veins, and hepatic artery, provides important information about the severity of disease and helps guide management decisions, including evaluation for liver transplantation.
Sonography Term