Lymph node enlargement as a sign of acute hepatitis A in children.

Abdominal ultrasound was performed in 58 children presenting with proven acute hepatitis A and in 63 controls of the same age. There are well-known echographic signs of hepatitis (liver enlargement, gallbladder wall thickening, periportal hyperechogenicity) but they were not constantly found. We describe in all the hepatitis cases an enlargement of lymph nodes located in the hepatic hilum, pancreatic area and small omentum: they appeared hyperechogenic at the centre with hypoechogenic outer layer. Such enlarged lymph nodes were not observed in the controls.

[Posterior reinforcement behind hepatic angiomas. Mirror artefact as a possible source of error]. / Renforcement postérieur derrière les angiomes hépatiques. Artéfact en miroir comme source possible d'erreurs.

Posterior enhancement beyond liver hemangiomas was retrospectively assessed on 89 hemangiomas of all size and localization with in the liver. This enhancement is seen only beyond big and complex lesions, containing hypoechoic or anechoic zones. Conversely, it seems to be very rare beyond little hyperechoic lesions. It is necessary to distinguish true enhancement and a mirror artefact beyond lesions of all sizes but localized just near the diaphragma. In the lesions of less than 2 cm, no clear posterior enhancement was discovered, but some of them showed a very clear mirror artifact.