Role of Shear Wave Elastography in Evaluating the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B

• Published in: Gut and liver Vol. 11; no. 6; pp. 852 - 859
• Main Authors: Jae Yoon Jeong, Joo Hyun Sohn, Won Sohn, Chan Hyuk Park, Tae Yeob Kim, Dae Won Jun, Yongsoo Kim, Woo Kyoung Jeong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 대한소화기내시경학회 30.11.2017
• Subjects: chronic; Carcinoma; Elastography; hepatocellular; shear wave; Liver stiffness; Hepati-tis B
• ISSN: 1976-2283

Background/Aims: To investigate the use of measurements of liver stiffness (LS) by two-dimensional real-time shear wave elastography (SWE) for predicting the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Methods: We retrospectively collected data on 291 enrolled patients with CHB whose LS had been measured using SWE. Results: The mean age of the patients was 46.8 years; males predominated (67%), and 40 of the patients (14%) had clinical cirrhosis. Among the patients, 165 (56.7%) received antiviral treatment. The median LS value was 7.4 kPa, and the median follow-up period was 35.8 months (range, 3.0 to 52.8 months). During follow-up, HCC developed in 13 patients (4.5%), and the cumulative incidence rates of HCC at 1, 2, and 4 years were 1.1%, 3.6%, and 8.4%, respectively. Based on a multivariate analysis, older age (≥50 years) and higher LS value (≥10 kPa) were independently associated with the risk of developing HCC (hazard ratio [HR], 4.53, p=0.023; and HR, 4.08, p=0.022). The cumulative incidence rate of HCC was significantly higher in patients with higher LS values (≥10 kPa) than in those with lower LS values (<10 kPa) (p=0.001). Conclusions: Increased LS measured by SWE at any time point regardless of antiviral treatment is associated with an increased risk of HCC in patients with CHB. (Gut Liver 2017;11:852-859)