Matthias Hermann Christian Pfahler1, Wolfgang Kratzer2, Michael Leichsenring3, Tilmann Graeter4, Stefan Andreas Schmidt4, Inka Wendlik4, Elisabeth Lormes4, Julian Schmidberger1, Dorit Fabricius3. 1. Department of General Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospitals, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany. 2. Department of General Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospitals, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany. wolfgang.kratzer@uniklinik-ulm.de. 3. Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Ulm University Hospitals, Eythstrasse 24, 89075, Ulm, Germany. 4. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Ulm University Hospitals, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Manifestations of cystic fibrosis in the pancreas are gaining in clinical importance as patients live longer. Conventional ultrasonography and point shear wave elastography (pSWE) imaging are non-invasive and readily available diagnostic methods that are easy to perform. The aim of this study was to perform conventional ultrasonography and obtain pSWE values in the pancreases of patients with cystic fibrosis and to compare the findings with those of healthy controls. METHODS: 27 patients with cystic fibrosis (13 women/14 men; mean age 27.7 ± 13.7 years; range 9-58 years) and 60 healthy control subjects (30 women/30 men; mean age 30.3 ± 10.0 years; range 22-55 years) underwent examinations of the pancreas with conventional ultrasound and pSWE imaging. RESULTS: Patients with cystic fibrosis have an echogenic pancreatic parenchyma. We found cystic lesions of the pancreas in six patients. pSWE imaging of the pancreatic parenchyma gave significantly lower shear wave velocities in patients with cystic fibrosis than in the control group (1.01 m/s vs 1.30 m/s; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Using pSWE imaging in vivo, we have shown that the pancreas is considerably softer in patients with cystic fibrosis than in a healthy control population.
PURPOSE: Manifestations of cystic fibrosis in the pancreas are gaining in clinical importance as patients live longer. Conventional ultrasonography and point shear wave elastography (pSWE) imaging are non-invasive and readily available diagnostic methods that are easy to perform. The aim of this study was to perform conventional ultrasonography and obtain pSWE values in the pancreases of patients with cystic fibrosis and to compare the findings with those of healthy controls. METHODS: 27 patients with cystic fibrosis (13 women/14 men; mean age 27.7 ± 13.7 years; range 9-58 years) and 60 healthy control subjects (30 women/30 men; mean age 30.3 ± 10.0 years; range 22-55 years) underwent examinations of the pancreas with conventional ultrasound and pSWE imaging. RESULTS:Patients with cystic fibrosis have an echogenic pancreatic parenchyma. We found cystic lesions of the pancreas in six patients. pSWE imaging of the pancreatic parenchyma gave significantly lower shear wave velocities in patients with cystic fibrosis than in the control group (1.01 m/s vs 1.30 m/s; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Using pSWE imaging in vivo, we have shown that the pancreas is considerably softer in patients with cystic fibrosis than in a healthy control population.