Utility of the MRI-VSRAD system in diagnosing hepatic encephalopathy and/or dementia

Abstract

In the current aging society, the number of patients with liver cirrhosis demonstrating dementia has been increasing; however, addressing the complex clinical diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy and/or dementia is challenging. The voxel-based specific regional analysis system for Alzheimer's disease (VSRAD) has been widely used to clinically diagnose dementia. In this study, the VSRAD system revealed that 12 of 32 (37.5%) elderly patients under treatment for hepatic encephalopathy displayed signs of brain atrophy. The presence or absence of brain atrophy in the VSRAD system was found to be closely associated with the degree of independent living for dementia in elderly patients with hepatic encephalopathy. The VSRAD system could play an essential role in understanding the clinical course of patients with hepatic encephalopathy.