Background: Chronic hepatitis C is the most common cause of chronic liver
disease and cirrhosis. Egypt is the highest affected country with a prevalence of
22%. In children, seroprevalence of HCV is 0.2% in children less than 11 years
of age and 0.4% in children equal and more than 11 years of age.
Aim of the work: The purpose of this study was to assess the value of 1H MRS
and DW-MRI as non invasive tool in evaluation of activity and fibrosis of
hepatic parenchyma in asymptomatic children with chronic hepatitis C.
Subjects and Methods: Across-section study was conducted over a period of
two years, included thirty children of asymptomatic chronic hepatitis C virus
infection (mean age + SD 14.1+2.8 years) and twenty healthy children as
controls were included. Abdominal ultrasonography, Percutaneous liver biopsy,
MRS and DW-MRI were done to all cases.
Results: The results showed HCV infection was more common in our males
(83.3%). The results of METAVIR grades showed 29 cases (99.9%) had
activity while 17 cases (56.4%) had fibrosis. The results of MRS& DW-MRI
showed significant differences between cases and controls and positive
correlations between of the results of 1H MRS with the results of liver biopsy
(METAVIR Grades and METAVIR Stages).
Conclusion: Early diagnosis of asymptomatic chronic hepatitis C is essential to
prevent or delay end stage chronic parenchymal liver disease. 1H MRS may be a
potential non-invasive helpful diagnostic tool in assessment the staging andfibrosis of asymptomatic chronic hepatitis C. As the increased of its
metabolites were correlated with histopathological changes. DW-MRI can be
considered an effective predictor in assessment of activity in chronic hepatitis
C.