Shear wave elastography safety in fetus: A quantitative health risk assessment

Abstract

Purpose: To identify the effects of shear wave elastography in the fetus for evaluation in widespread use.

Materials and methods: The Health Risk Assessment method proposed by the National Research Council was used with literature to evaluate the safety of shear wave elastography for the fetus regarding its potential effects in human tissues.

Results: The experimental and epidemiologic data from 25 articles showed that shear wave elastography maintained the same thermal effect as pulsed Doppler ultrasound already authorized in obstetrics, and that cavitation effect on fetal tissue is improbable. Nonetheless, the vibratory character of shear waves could induce displacement of fetal tissue while potential effects of very short duration energy peaks of the radiation force focused wave front remain unknown.

Conclusion: The actual knowledge does not provide enough information to assess the effects of shear wave elastography on fetal tissues, thus these points have to be explored by further experimental studies.

Keywords: Elastography; Evaluation risk; Health risk assessment; Shear waves; Ultrasound.