Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 18, Issue 7 475-479, Copyright © 1999 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Hepatic involvement in hypereosinophilia: sonographic findings
K. J. Nam, W. J. Jung, J. C. Choi, B. S. Koo, B. H. Park, K. N. Lee, S. Y. Han, W. W. Shin and S. S. Han
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Dong-A University, College of Medicine #1, Pusan, Korea.
Hypereosinophilic syndrome may cause eosinophil-related tissue damage to
various organs. The purpose of this paper is to describe sonographic
findings in 13 patients with hypereosinophilia in whom the liver was
involved. The diagnosis in these 13 patients was based on liver biopsy in
seven patients with bone marrow biopsy in six patients. Eight patients had
hypereosinophilic syndrome and five patients had clonorchiasis. All 13
patients had mild to marked hepatomegaly. Seven of 13 patients showed
multiple round or oval hypoechoic (n = 6) or variably echogenic (n = 1)
lesions measuring 1 to 2 cm with poorly defined margins in both lobes of
the liver. Four patients had one or two hypoechoic lesions 3 to 4 cm in
size, with geographic pattern and poorly defined margins. Two patients
showed diffuse hepatomegaly with increased parenchymal echogenicity. The
number of lesions and the extent of diffuse lesions seem to be proportional
to the degree of eosinophilia. Hypereosinophilia may produce multiple small
focal hepatic lesions or diffuse segmental or lobar echogenic lesions
simulating primary or metastatic tumor of the liver.
