Journal of Practical Hepatology ›› 2026, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (4): 577-580.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-5069.2026.04.025

• Liver cirrhosis • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Assessment of esophageal varices by spectral CT parameters in patients with hepatitis B-induced liver cirrhosis

Chen Ling, Liu Hong, Zhang Xinling, et al   

  1. Department of Radiology, Central Hospital, Linfen 041000, Shanxi Province, China
  • Received:2026-03-01 Online:2026-07-10 Published:2026-07-20

Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to assess esophageal varices (EV) by spectral CT parameters in patients with hepatitis B-induced liver cirrhosis (LC). Methods 67 patients with hepatitis B-induced LC were encountered in our hospital between January 2024 and June 2025, and all patients underwent gastroscopy that found high risk EV in 34 cases and low-risk EV in 33 cases. Abdominal spectral CT scan was performed to record liver iodine concentration (IC), normalized iodine concentration (NIC), effective atomic number (Zeff) and spectral curve slope (λHU), total liver volume (TLV), standardized liver volume (SLV), functional liver volume (FLV) and FLV/body surface area (BSA) (FLV/BSA) ratio was calculated. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was applied to find impacting factors. Results Percentages of Child-Pugh class C and splenomegaly, MELD score, total serum bilirubin and INR in patients with high-risk EV were all significantly greater or higher than (P<0.05), while platelet count and serum albumin level were significantly lower than in those with low-risk EV (P<0.05); IC, NIC, Zeff and λHU were (1.4±0.3)mg/ml, (0.4±0.1), (7.3±0.2) and (1.4±0.4), all much smaller than [(1.6±0.3)mg/ml, (0.5±0.1), (7.7±0.2) and (1.6±0.4), respectively, P<0.05] in patients with low-risk EV; TLV, SLV, FLV and FLV/BSA ratio were (1086.2±205.6)ml, (664.8±103.5)ml/m2, (958.3±183.4)ml and (585.3±94.1)ml/m2, all much smaller than [(1243.6±221.4)ml, (731.6±110.8)ml/m2, (1114.2±198.1)ml and (654.3±101.7)ml/m2, respectively, P<0.05] in those with low-risk EV; multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that Child-Pugh classification, PLT count, IC, NIC, Zeff and FLV were all the independent risk factors for high-risk EV occurrence (P<0.05); by end of one-year follow-up, EV bleeding (EVB) happened in 12 cases in our series, of which 11 patients (32.4%) in high-risk EV and 1 (3.0%, P<0.05) in those with low-risk EV. Conclusion Spectral CT quantitative parameters, including liver volume measurement, could help predict EV or even EVB risk in patients with LC, and an appropriate preventive measures should be given to improve the prognosis.

Key words: Liver cirrhosis, Esophageal varices, Spectral computed tomography, Liver iodine concentration, Normalized iodine concentration, Effective atomic number, Spectral curve slope, Total liver volume, Standardized liver volume