Abstract: 　Objective To submit a proposal for the classification of ultrasonographic image in patients with hepatic cystic echinococcosis, on the basis of characteristic and distribution of ultrasonic image of hydatid cysts in cases and systematic observation on dynamic changes of sonographic image under treatment with emulsion albendazole and in relation to clinical efficacy. Methods The ultrasonic image of 645 cysts in 497 cases with liver cystic echinococcosis was classified. The distribution of different types of image in patients was analyzed. A comparative analysis of correspondence between the sonographic type and clinical efficacy was made in association with the rule of changes in ultrasonic features during chemotherapy. Results The ultrasonographic image of hydatid cysts was divided into six types. The distribution of ultrasonic types in patients reflected the process of natural evolution of cysts in human bodies. The dynamic change of ultrasonic image during treatment was identical with the natural evolution process of hydatid cysts. Conclusion The proposal for ultrasonographic classification submitted reflects a long evolutionary process from growth to death of hydatid cysts in human body. The dynamic change of hydatid cysts during chemotherapy indicated that the effect of drug has accelerated this process. Therefore this classification may be applied in diagnosis and to judge the chemotherapeutic efficacy of cystic echinococcosis.

Key words: cystic echinococcosis, liver, ultrasonography, image classification, chemotherapy, emulsion albendazole