Modeling techniques for medical diagnosis. II. Differential diagnosis of neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia

✍ Scribed by Charles E. Mize; William M. Lively; Stephen A. Szygenda

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1976
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 380 KB
• Volume: 9
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0010-4809
• DOI: 10.1016/0010-4809(76)90004-5

✦ Synopsis

Heuristic liver modeling and learning program techniques have been utilized to develop a method for augmenting presurgical guidance in anatomic biliary tree obstruction and hepatitis in neonates. A liver model programmed for evaluation of clinical data leads to one of four categories: (1) hepatitis, (2) atresia, (3) normal, (4) no diagnosis possible.

Using a simple set of data (serum glutamate-oxalacetate transaminase and direct Van den Bergh bilirubin, a defined disease duration, and Rose Bengal fecal excretion), 36 test patients whose diagnoses were unknown were tested. Comparison with actual subsequent diagnoses in these patients confirmed the method as a reliable aid in medical diagnosis and management decisions.