Liver Int. 2013 Sep;33(8):1138-47. doi: 10.1111/liv.12240. Epub 2013 Jul 16.

Meta-analysis: ARFI elastography versus transient elastography for the evaluation of liver fibrosis.

Bota S1, Herkner H, Sporea I, Salzl P, Sirli R, Neghina AM, Peck-Radosavljevic M.

Author information

Abstract

AIMS:

This meta-analysis aims to compare the diagnostic performance of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography and transient elastography (TE) in the assessment of liver fibrosis using liver biopsy (LB) as 'gold-standard'.

METHODS:

PubMed, Medline, Lilacs, Scopus, Ovid, EMBASE, Cochrane and Medscape databases were searched for all studies published until 31 May 2012 that evaluated the liver stiffness by means of ARFI, TE and LB. Information abstracted from each study according to a fixed protocol included study design and methodological characteristics, patient characteristics, interventions, outcomes and missing outcome data.

RESULTS:

Thirteen studies (11 full-length articles and 2 abstracts) including 1163 patients with chronic hepatopathies were included in the analysis. Inability to obtain reliable measurements was more than thrice as high for TE as that of ARFI (6.6% vs. 2.1%, P< 0.001). For detection of significant fibrosis, (F ≥ 2) the summary sensitivity (Se) was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.66-0.80) and specificity (Sp) was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.75-0.89) for ARFI, while for TE the Se was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.72-0.83) and Sp was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.75-0.90). For the diagnosis of cirrhosis, the summary Se was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.79-0.92) and Sp was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.81-0.91) for ARFI elastography, and, respectively, 0.89 (95% CI: 0.80-0.94) and 0.87 (95% CI: 0.82-0.91) for TE. The diagnostic odds ratio of ARFI and TE did not differ significantly in the detection of significant fibrosis [mean difference in rDOR = 0.27 (95% CI: 0.69-0.14)] and cirrhosis [mean difference in rDOR = 0.12 (95% CI: 0.29-0.52)].

CONCLUSION:

Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography seems to be a good method for assessing liver fibrosis, and shows higher rate of reliable measurements and similar predictive value to TE for significant fibrosis and cirrhosis.

© 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

KEYWORDS:

ARFI; acoustic radiation force impulse elastography; fibroscan®; liver fibrosis; liver stiffness; transient elastography

Which are the cut-off values of 2D-Shear Wave Elastography (2D-SWE) liver stiffness measurements predicting different stages of liver fibrosis, considering Transient Elastography (TE) as the reference method?

Ioan SporeaCorrespondence information about the author Ioan SporeaEmail the author Ioan Sporea

, 

Simona Bota^1,Email the author Simona Bota

, 

Oana Gradinaru-Taşcău^2,Email the author Oana Gradinaru-Taşcău

, 

Roxana Şirli^2,Email the author Roxana Şirli

, 

Alina Popescu^2,Email the author Alina Popescu

, 

Ana Jurchiş^2,Email the author Ana Jurchiş

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “Victor Babeş” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania

¹Address: 2, Str. Intrarea Martir Angela Sava, 300742 Timisoara, Romania. Tel.: +40 256488003; fax: +40 256488003.

²Address: 10, Bd. Iosif Bulbuca, 300736 Timisoara, Romania. Tel.: +40 256488003; fax: +40 256488003.

Mobile

European Journal of Radiology, March 2014, Volume 83, Issue 3, Pages e118–e122

Abstract

Introduction

To identify liver stiffness (LS) cut-off values assessed by means of 2D-Shear Wave Elastography (2D-SWE) for predicting different stages of liver fibrosis, considering Transient Elastography (TE) as the reference method.

Methods

Our prospective study included 383 consecutive subjects, with or without hepatopathies, in which LS was evaluated by means of TE and 2D-SWE. To discriminate between various stages of fibrosis by TE we used the following LS cut-offs (kPa): F1-6, F2-7.2, F3-9.6 and F4-14.5.

Results

The rate of reliable LS measurements was similar for TE and 2D-SWE: 73.9% vs. 79.9%, p = 0.06. Older age and higher BMI were associated for both TE and 2D-SWE with the impossibility to obtain reliable LS measurements. Reliable LS measurements by both elastographic methods were obtained in 65.2% of patients. A significant correlation was found between TE and 2D-SWE measurements (r = 0.68). The best LS cut-off values assessed by 2D-SWE for predicting different stages of liver fibrosis were: F ≥ 1: >7.1 kPa (AUROC = 0.825); F ≥ 2: >7.8 kPa (AUROC = 0.859); F ≥ 3: >8 kPa (AUROC = 0.897) and for F = 4: >11.5 kPa (AUROC = 0.914).

Conclusions

2D-SWE is a reliable method for the non-invasive evaluation of liver fibrosis, considering TE as the reference method. The accuracy of 2D-SWE measurements increased with the severity of liver fibrosis.

Keywords:

Liver stiffness, Transient Elastography, Shear Waves Elastography, Liver fibrosis