BACKGROUND: Transient elastography is increasingly used for assessment of liver fibrosis. Acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (ARFI) is a new technology to perform liver elastography. AIMS: We evaluated the clinical feasibility, validity and accuracy of the ARFI method and compared it to Fibroscan(®) and liver histology. METHODS: Ultrasonographic elastography of the liver using ARFI was performed in 29 patients with liver cirrhosis, 70 patients with liver disease and 23 healthy controls. RESULTS: ARFI was feasible in all patients providing a mean propagation velocity of 1.65±0.93 m/s. ARFI results of the right and left liver lobes were comparable (p<0.001). In cirrhotic patients, ARFI gave significantly higher values than in the other patients (p<0.001). Rate of invalid measurements was lower in ARFI than in Fibroscan(®) (p<0.04). Both elastography methods were highly correlated to each other (p<0.001). Furthermore, ARFI correlated to histological grading of liver fibrosis (p<0.001) and to inflammatory activity (p<0.05). Liver steatosis had no statistical influence on ARFI results (p=0.2) in contrast to Fibroscan(®) (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The new ultrasonographic method of ARFI elastography allows valid, accurate and flexible evaluation of liver stiffness. It seems more feasible in patients with liver cirrhosis than Fibroscan(®). ARFI elastography of the left liver lobe is also possible. Liver steatosis does not seem to influence ARFI elastography.
BACKGROUND: Transient elastography is increasingly used for assessment of liver fibrosis. Acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (ARFI) is a new technology to perform liver elastography. AIMS: We evaluated the clinical feasibility, validity and accuracy of the ARFI method and compared it to Fibroscan(®) and liver histology. METHODS: Ultrasonographic elastography of the liver using ARFI was performed in 29 patients with liver cirrhosis, 70 patients with liver disease and 23 healthy controls. RESULTS: ARFI was feasible in all patients providing a mean propagation velocity of 1.65±0.93 m/s. ARFI results of the right and left liver lobes were comparable (p<0.001). In cirrhotic patients, ARFI gave significantly higher values than in the other patients (p<0.001). Rate of invalid measurements was lower in ARFI than in Fibroscan(®) (p<0.04). Both elastography methods were highly correlated to each other (p<0.001). Furthermore, ARFI correlated to histological grading of liver fibrosis (p<0.001) and to inflammatory activity (p<0.05). Liver steatosis had no statistical influence on ARFI results (p=0.2) in contrast to Fibroscan(®) (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The new ultrasonographic method of ARFI elastography allows valid, accurate and flexible evaluation of liver stiffness. It seems more feasible in patients with liver cirrhosis than Fibroscan(®). ARFI elastography of the left liver lobe is also possible. Liver steatosis does not seem to influence ARFI elastography.
Authors: Ki Tae Yoon; Sun Min Lim; Jun Yong Park; Do Young Kim; Sang Hoon Ahn; Kwang-Hyub Han; Chae Yoon Chon; Mong Cho; Jun Woo Lee; Seung Up Kim Journal: Dig Dis Sci Date: 2012-06 Impact factor: 3.199
Authors: Joshua R Doherty; Gregg E Trahey; Kathryn R Nightingale; Mark L Palmeri Journal: IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control Date: 2013-04 Impact factor: 2.725