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. 2023 Jun;9(2):179-186.
doi: 10.5114/ceh.2023.129112. Epub 2023 Jun 30.

Shear-wave elastography for evaluation of hepatic stiffness in chronic viral hepatitis B and C

Diana Martonik  1 , Alicja Wandałowicz  2 , Łukasz Supronowicz  1   2 , Anatol Panasiuk  1   3 , Anna Parfieniuk-Kowerda  1   2 , Robert Flisiak  1   2
Affiliations

Shear-wave elastography for evaluation of hepatic stiffness in chronic viral hepatitis B and C

Diana Martonik et al. Clin Exp Hepatol. 2023 Jun.

Abstract

Aim of the study: To analyse the consistency between 2D shear-wave elastography (2D-SWE) stiffness and fibrosis in liver biopsy in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. The secondary aim of the study was to analyse the consistency between liver stiffness in 2D-SWE and transient elastography (TE) measurements in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C.

Material and methods: The study compared the results of hepatic stiffness assessment with 2D-SWE to available past liver biopsy reports in 153 patients with chronic HBV (n = 51) and HCV (n = 102) infection. In 43 patients with both hepatitides HBV (n = 8) and HCV (n = 35) we performed FibroScan on the same day as 2D-SWE. The appropriate statistical tests were applied for the analysis.

Results: Stiffness values analysed in the whole studied population showed a significant positive correlation with a stage of liver fibrosis in biopsy (r = 0.555, p < 0.001). If 2D-SWE was carried out within 24 months since liver biopsy the consistency of the results was 96%, and if the period between procedures exceeded 24 months the consistency was 81%. In 43 patients with both 2D-SWE and TE the coherence (r = 0.872, p < 0.001) and consistency (95%) between these two methods were high.

Conclusions: Liver stiffness measured with 2D-SWE showed good consistency with stage of liver fibrosis in liver biopsies, particularly in HCV infected patients, and if the period between procedures did not exceed 24 months.

Keywords: chronic hepatitis B; chronic hepatitis C; liver fibrosis; liver stiffness; shear wave elastography.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
2D-SWE stiffness according to the degree of liver fibrosis (mean, min, max, ±SD)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Consistency between 2D-SWE measurements and liver biopsy depending on aetiology (A) and period between biopsy and 2D-SWE (B)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
ROC curves and diagnostic performance by AUROC estimated for HCV patients (including patients with clinically confirmed liver cirrhosis) discriminating stages of liver fibrosis: A) ≤ F1 vs. ≥ F2, B) ≤ F2 vs. ≥ F3, C) ≤ F3 vs. ≥ F4
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Coherence of 2D-SWE and TE (Spearman correlation)
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