Diagnostic performance of tomoelastography of the liver and spleen for staging hepatic fibrosis

• Published in: European radiology Vol. 30; no. 3; pp. 1719 - 1729
• Main Authors: Reiter, Rolf, Tzschätzsch, Heiko, Schwahofer, Florian, Haas, Matthias, Bayerl, Christian, Muche, Marion, Klatt, Dieter, Majumdar, Shreyan, Uyanik, Meltem, Hamm, Bernd, Braun, Jürgen, Sack, Ingolf, Asbach, Patrick
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.03.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abdomen - diagnostic imaging; Adult; Blood vessels; Diagnostic Radiology; Diagnostic systems; Elasticity Imaging Techniques - methods; Female; Fibrosis; Field of view; Frequency ranges; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Imaging; Internal Medicine; Interventional Radiology; Liver; Liver - diagnostic imaging; Liver cirrhosis; Liver Cirrhosis - diagnosis; Liver diseases; Magnetic Resonance; Male; Medical diagnosis; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neuroradiology; Pancreas; Prospective Studies; Radiology; Spleen; Spleen - diagnostic imaging; Stiffness; Ultrasound; Spleen; Magnetic resonance imaging; Elasticity imaging techniques; Liver cirrhosis; Fibrosis
• ISSN: 0938-7994; 1432-1084; 1432-1084
• DOI: 10.1007/s00330-019-06471-7

Objectives To determine the diagnostic performance, cut-off values, and optimal drive frequency range for staging hepatic fibrosis using tomoelastography by multifrequency MR elastography of the liver and spleen. Methods This prospective study consecutively enrolled a total of 61 subjects between June 2014 and April 2017: 45 patients with chronic liver disease and proven stage of fibrosis and 16 healthy volunteers. Tomoelastography was performed at 1.5 T using six drive frequencies from 35 to 60 Hz. Cut-off values and AUC were calculated. Shear wave speed (in m/s) of the liver and spleen was assessed separately and in combination as a surrogate of stiffness. Results For compound multifrequency processing of the liver, cut-off and AUC values by fibrosis stage were as follows: F1, 1.52 m/s and 0.89; F2, 1.55 m/s and 0.94; F3, 1.67 m/s and 0.98; and F4, 1.72 m/s and 0.98. Diagnostic performance of the best single drive frequencies (45 Hz, 55 Hz, 60 Hz) was similar (mean AUC = 0.95, respectively). Combined analysis of the liver and spleen slightly improved performance at 60 Hz in F4 patients (mean AUC = 0.97 vs. 0.95, p = 0.03). Full-field-of-view elastograms displayed not only the liver and spleen but also small anatomical structures including the pancreas and major vessels. Conclusion Tomoelastography provides full-field-of-view elastograms with unprecedented detail resolution and excellent diagnostic accuracy for staging hepatic fibrosis. Our analysis of single-frequency tomoelastography suggests that scan time can be further reduced in future studies, making tomoelastography easier to implement in clinical routine. Key Points • Tomoelastography provides full-field-of-view elastograms of the abdomen with unprecedented detail resolution and excellent diagnostic accuracy for staging hepatic fibrosis. • Diagnostic performance of single-frequency tomoelastography at higher frequencies (45 Hz, 55 Hz, 60 Hz) and compound multifrequency processing are equivalent for staging hepatic fibrosis. • Combined assessment of hepatic and splenic stiffness slightly improves diagnostic performance for staging hepatic fibrosis.