الفهرس 
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Abstract
Schistosomiasis is one of the most prevalent, though neglected, of
the tropical infectious diseases.In schistosomiasis mansoni, chronic
infections with morbidity and mortality occur as a result of
granuloma formation in the intestine and the liver.
Liver fibrosis is characterized by the excessive accumulation
of extra cellular matrix(ECM) components.
Liver fibrosis develops to cirrhosis typically slowly over the years,
when the healthy liver tissue is replaced with a fibrous scar.
The best known causes of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis are
chronic HBV and HCV infections, schistosomiasis, alcohol abuse,
nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, toxic hepatitis, metabolic conditions such as
haemochromatosis and autoimmune hepatitis.
Various methods are utilized to diagnose and evaluate liver
fibrosis resulting from schistosomiasis.
Liver biopsy is still considered the gold standard for diagnosis
and assessment of liver disease severity, but it is invasive and
unfortunately, the liver biopsy has a number of limitations and
disadvantages. Some of the drawbacks of biopsy are associated with
its invasiveness and with the risk of complications (e.g. bleeding in
the liver, pain around the biopsy area). Furthermore, biopsy results
are burdened with a large sampling errors.
Diagnostic imaging has proven to be a valuable method in
assessing hepatic morbidity in the hospital setting, but has practical
limitations in the field.
Summa