No abstract

Background: Steatosis is occasionally reported during screening ultrasonography in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV). We conducted a retrospective observational study to assess the factors associated with steatosis on ultrasonography and the relationship between steatosis on ultrasound versus biopsy in patients infected with HCV in a clinical setting. Our hypothesis was ultrasonography would perform poorly for the detection of steatosis outside of the context of a controlled study, primarily due to false-positive results caused by hepatic fibrosis and inflammation.

In this study, the pattern of muscle fibers within the vascular media discriminated between arteries and veins better than assessment of the presence or absence of an internal elastic lamina. Although no single criterion is 100% reliable, assessment of both these criteria may minimize the risk of misinterpreting vessels in the deep dermis and subcutis.