['Patients with chronic hepatitis C often present a bright echopattern of the liver. Our aim was to examine the relationship of the sonographic echotexture of the liver in relation to the histological findings in patients with chronic hepatitis C without cirrhosis.', 'The livers of 68 patients with chronic hepatitis C (40 male, 28 female, age: 39 +/- 9 years) were evaluated by high resolution ultrasound equipment (3.5 and 5 MHz). Histologic specimens were obtained at the same time. Grading and staging was performed according to the histological activity index. 70 healthy subjects (40 male, 30 female, age: 35 +/- 9 years, no histology) were examined as controls.', 'A bright sonographic echotexture of the liver was found in 26/68 (38%) patients with chronic hepatitis C, which correlated with the degree of fatty infiltration in the liver. Other parameters of the histological activity index showed no significant correlation with the echotexture of the liver. Hypoechoic areas in the liver hilus were detected in 24/26 (92%) patients with chronic hepatitis C and a bright echotexture of the liver. In 6/70 (9%) healthy subjects a bright sonographic echotexture could be detected.'] Do [ Analysis of hepatic echo patterns in chronic hepatitis C ]?