OBJECTIVE The objective of this article is to provide a practical review of the conditions other than cirrhosis that can result in diffuse surface nodularity of the liver or portal hypertension. CONCLUSION Conditions that can mimic cirrhosis on imaging include pseudocirrhosis of treated breast cancer metastases to the liver, fulminant hepatic failure, miliary metastases, sarcoidosis, schistos...

virus surface antigen (HBsAg) is known to promote viral replication, and when immunosuppressive treatment is stopped the return of immunocompetence can be followed by liver damage of varying degrees of severity, including fulminant hepatitis. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation of various degrees may develop in 20-50% of HBsAg positive patients undergoing immunosuppressive or cytostatic treatm...

One of the most serious complications of chronic or fulminant liver failure is hepatic encephalopathy (HE), associated most commonly with cirrhosis. In the presence of chronic liver disease, HE is a sign of decompensation, while in fulminant liver failure its development represents a worrying sign and usually indicates that transplantation will be required. Despite the significance of HE in the...

Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) is a true medical emergency. It is a clinical syndrome characterized by the appearance of sudden marked impairment of liver cell function with hepatic encephalopathy, resulting from acute necrosis or dysfunction of a large portion of liver parenchyma. It is uncommon, but not rare. An estimated 2000 to 2500 deaths per year in the United States are due to FHF. Even...

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is known to cause epidemic outbreaks as well as sporadic disease in many parts of the world. Clinical presentation of hepatitis E varies from acute icteric viral hepatitis to severe disease with fulminant hepatic failure, and anicteric infection (no jaundice but with ALT elevation). According to available data HEV infection does not lead to chronic liver failur...

INTRODUCTION Hepatitis B and C coinfection is commonly seen in clinical practice. In coinfected individuals, high levels of hepatitis C viremia are often associated with low levels of serum hepatitis B DNA. Hepatitis B reactivation in hepatitis C-infected patients treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin has been reported, but severe or fulminant reactivation is uncommon. Hepatitis C tre...

The diagnosis of acute hypoxic hepatitis remains problematic. We describe a series of 14 patients who were initially hospitalized in an hepatic care unit with a diagnosis of fulminant hepatitis, and were subsequently found to have acute hypoxic hepatitis ('liver shock') secondary to heart failure. A diagnostic algorithm is proposed.

Clostridium perfringens (CP) bacteremia is a rare but rapidly fatal infection. Only 36 cases of CP bacteremia with gas containing liver abscesses on image studies have been reported in the literature since 1990. In this report, we describe a 65-year-old diabetic male with CP bacteremia which progressed into fulminant hepatic failure with subsequent fatal cerebral edema.

On September 9, 2013, the Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) was notified of seven patients with severe acute hepatitis and fulminant liver failure of unknown etiology. Patients were previously healthy and sought medical care during May-September 2013. Clinicians reported that the seven patients had all used OxyELITE Pro, a dietary supplement marketed for weight loss and muscle gain, before ill...

Disseminated herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a rare cause of acute fulminant liver failure. We hereby present a case series of three patients with acute disseminated HSV with necrotizing hepatitis successfully treated with a week course of acyclovir. Early empiric administration of acyclovir therapy while awaiting confirmatory tests is critical in this potentially lethal disease.