Table 3.
Diffusion studies of cirrhotic patients with different grades of hepatic encephalopathy (HE).
| MR study | Subjects | n | ADC values |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HE episode | HE recovery | |||
| (Poveda et al, 2010) | Control | 9 | ||
| No HE | 9 | ≈ | ||
| Overt HE | 24 | ≈ | ↓ | |
| (Chavarria et al, 2013) | Control | 8 | ||
| No HE | 7 | ↑a | ||
| Overt HE (I/II/III/IV) | 10 (5/3/0/2) | ↑b | ↓ | |
a
Significant changes between cirrhotic patients without HE (no HE), with minimal HE (MHE) or with overt HE.
b
Significant changes between the different HE grades (I/II/III/IV) in overt HE determined by West-Haven criteria where patients with grade I, exhibited lack of awareness; grade II, lethargy or apathy; grade III, somnolence to semi stupor; and grade IV, were in coma.