Liver Ultrasound Elastography: An Update to the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology Guidelines and Recommendations

Abstract

The World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology has produced these guidelines for the use of elastography techniques in liver diseases. For each available technique, the reproducibility, results and limitations are analyzed, and recommendations are given. This set of guidelines updates the first version, published in 2015. Since the prior guidelines, there have been several advances in technology. The recommendations are based on the international published literature, and the strength of each recommendation is judged according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. The document has a clinical perspective and is aimed at assessing the usefulness of elastography in the management of liver diseases.

Keywords: Acoustic radiation force impulse; Elastography; Focal liver lesions; Liver; Liver diseases; Liver fibrosis; Liver stiffness; Portal hypertension; Shear wave elastography; Strain elastography; Transient elastography; Ultrasound; World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology guidelines.