Drinking status of heavy drinkers detected by arrival time parametric imaging using sonazoid-enhanced ultrasonography: Study of two cases

Abstract

Chronic heavy consumption of alcohol is associated with increased risks of developing liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and esophageal varices. Cessation of alcohol consumption is the most important requirement in treating these diseases. However, judging whether patients have actually maintained abstinence from alcohol requires reliance on their reports, which vary substantially across individuals using the test methods currently available. Arrival time parametric imaging (At-PI) using Sonazoid-enhanced ultrasonography is regarded as a useful approach for assessing the progression of lesions that have developed in liver parenchyma. In this study, we report two cases for whom this approach was successfully applied to indicate the drinking status of a heavy drinker. At-PI enables approximate and objective assessment of the drinking status of patients, independent of their reports; therefore, it is a promising method for providing information about drinking status. © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.