Correlation Between The severity of liver disease and image analysis of histological findings. Preliminary studies

Cirrhosis is the end result of clinic liver disease and complications of cirrhosis, Including esophageal varices and ascites, develop once portal pressure reaches a threshold level of 10-12 mmHg, as assessed by the hepatic venous pressure gradient. Liver biopsy remains the gold standard for staging diffuse liver disease. But in liver disease the histologic examination can nol determine or predict the onset of disease complications and mortality of patients. Recent studies have shown a modest correlation between HVPG and histological findings and in particular the septal thickness and nodule size. The aim of the study is to assess whether there is a correlation between the HVPG value and the modifications of morphology of sinusoids. Establishing the concept of 'severity of cirrhosis' has significant clinical implications. Upon diagnosis of cirrhosis, specific histological findings on biopsy could predict the likelihood of complications or death of patient. This correlation between geometric analysis of images of individual histological changes of sinusoids and HVPG could be predictive of the clinical evolution of cirrhosis. These results are not statistically significant, but suggestive to apply this methodology in a larger number of patients.