AIM:To evaluate the value of ultrasonography in predictingand screening liver cirrhosis in children.METHODS:Twenty-eight children with liver cirrhosis ofvarious etiologies were examined by routine ultrasonography.A percutaneous liver biopsy guided by ultrasound was alsoperformed on each patient,and the results of liver biopsyand ultrasonography were compared.RESULTS:When compared with the biopsy results,ultrasonography in combination of clinical and laboratoryfindings gave accurate diagnoses of children liver cirrhosis.Although ultrasound imaging of children with liver cirrhosisrevealed abnormal characteristics,these images were notspecific to this disease,thus reinforcing the necessity ofultrasound-guided liver biopsy in the diagnosis of childrenliver cirrhosis.CONCLUSION:UItrasonography is reliable in the diagnosisof children liver cirrhosis,and its usefulness should be stressedin the screening and follow-up of high-risk pediatric patients. AIM: To evaluate the value of ultrasonography in predicting and screening of liver cirrhosis in children. METHODS: Twenty-eight children with liver cirrhosis of various etiologies were examined by routine ultrasonography. A percutaneous liver biopsy guided by ultrasound was also performed on each patient, and the results of liver biopsyand ultrasonography were compared .RESULTS: When compared with the biopsy results, ultrasonography in combination of clinical and laboratoryfindings gave accurate diagnoses of children liver cirrhosis. Although ultrasound imaging of children with liver cirrhosisrevealed abnormal characteristics, these images were notspecific to this disease, thus reinforcing the necessity ofultrasound-guided liver biopsy in the diagnosis of childrenliver cirrhosis.CONCLUSION: UItrasonography is reliable in the diagnosisof children liver cirrhosis, and its usefulness should be stressedin the screening and follow-up of high-risk pediatric patients.