Which are the cut-off values of 2D-Shear Wave Elastography (2D-SWE) liver stiffness measurements predicting different stages of liver fibrosis, considering Transient Elastography (TE) as the reference method?

• Published in: European journal of radiology Vol. 83; no. 3; pp. e118 - e122
• Main Authors: Sporea, Ioan, Bota, Simona, Gradinaru-Taşcău, Oana, Şirli, Roxana, Popescu, Alina, Jurchiş, Ana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.03.2014
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Algorithms; Elastic Modulus; Elasticity Imaging Techniques - methods; Elasticity Imaging Techniques - standards; Female; Humans; Image Enhancement - methods; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Liver - physiopathology; Liver Cirrhosis - classification; Liver Cirrhosis - diagnosis; Liver Cirrhosis - physiopathology; Liver fibrosis; Liver stiffness; Male; Middle Aged; Radiology; Reference Values; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Severity of Illness Index; Shear Waves Elastography; Transient Elastography; Young Adult; Liver stiffness; Shear Waves Elastography; Liver fibrosis; Transient Elastography
• ISSN: 0720-048X; 1872-7727; 1872-7727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2013.12.011

To identify liver stiffness (LS) cut-off values assessed by means of 2D-Shear Wave Elastography (2D-SWE) for predicting different stages of liver fibrosis, considering Transient Elastography (TE) as the reference method. Our prospective study included 383 consecutive subjects, with or without hepatopathies, in which LS was evaluated by means of TE and 2D-SWE. To discriminate between various stages of fibrosis by TE we used the following LS cut-offs (kPa): F1-6, F2-7.2, F3-9.6 and F4-14.5. The rate of reliable LS measurements was similar for TE and 2D-SWE: 73.9% vs. 79.9%, p=0.06. Older age and higher BMI were associated for both TE and 2D-SWE with the impossibility to obtain reliable LS measurements. Reliable LS measurements by both elastographic methods were obtained in 65.2% of patients. A significant correlation was found between TE and 2D-SWE measurements (r=0.68). The best LS cut-off values assessed by 2D-SWE for predicting different stages of liver fibrosis were: F≥1: >7.1kPa (AUROC=0.825); F≥2: >7.8kPa (AUROC=0.859); F≥3: >8kPa (AUROC=0.897) and for F=4: >11.5kPa (AUROC=0.914). 2D-SWE is a reliable method for the non-invasive evaluation of liver fibrosis, considering TE as the reference method. The accuracy of 2D-SWE measurements increased with the severity of liver fibrosis.