Abstract
In its classic form, amebic liver abscess (ALA) is a mild disease, which responds dramatically to antibiotics and rarely requires drainage. However, the two other forms of the disease, i.e., acute aggressive and chronic indolent usually require drainage. These forms of ALA are frequently reported in endemic areas. The acute aggressive disease is particularly associated with serious complications, such as ruptures, secondary infections, and biliary communications. Laboratory parameters are deranged, with signs of organ failure often present. This form of disease is also associated with a high mortality rate, and early drainage is often required to control the disease severity. In the chronic form, the disease is characterized by low-grade symptoms, mainly pain in the right upper quadrant. Ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) play an important role not only in the diagnosis but also in the assessment of disease severity and identification of the associated complications. Recently, it has been shown that CT imaging morphology can be classified into three patterns, which seem to correlate with the clinical subtypes. Each pattern depicts its own set of distinctive imaging features. In this review, we briefly outline the clinical and imaging features of the three distinct forms of ALA, and discuss the role of percutaneous drainage in the management of ALA.