A client with suspected liver cirrhosis is scheduled for a diagnostic imaging test. Which imaging modality is commonly used to assess the liver's size, shape, and structure in clients with cirrhosis?

A) While adequate protein intake is important for overall health, encouraging the client to increase protein intake is not a priority in managing ascites. The priority is to address fluid retention through diuretic therapy.

B) While ambulation can be beneficial for clients with liver cirrhosis, it is not the priority for managing ascites. Diuretic therapy is more directly targeted at reducing fluid accumulation.

C) The priority nursing intervention for managing ascites in a client with liver cirrhosis is administering diuretics as prescribed by the healthcare provider. Diuretics help reduce fluid retention and alleviate the pressure caused by the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen. This intervention aims to improve the client's comfort and prevent the development of further complications associated with ascites.

D) Deep breathing exercises can be helpful for clients with liver cirrhosis, but they are not the priority for managing ascites. The focus should be on diuretic therapy and addressing the fluid retention in the abdomen.

A) Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) typically appears later in the course of liver cirrhosis and is usually associated with more advanced liver damage.

B) Ascites, the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity, is a later manifestation of liver cirrhosis and usually occurs after significant liver damage has occurred.

C) Spider angiomas, also known as spider nevi or spider telangiectasias, are dilated blood vessels that appear as small red spots with tiny radiating legs. They are a common early sign of liver cirrhosis and result from increased pressure in the superficial blood vessels due to impaired liver function. Spider angiomas are often found on the face, neck, upper trunk, and arms.

D) Hepatic encephalopathy, a neuropsychiatric complication of advanced liver disease, is also a later manifestation of liver cirrhosis and is not an early sign of the condition.