瞬时弹性成像对慢性肝病肝纤维化的诊断价值

目的评价瞬时弹性成像(TE)对慢性肝病肝纤维化的诊断价值。方法分析100例本科就诊的慢性肝病肝纤维化患者,肝组织病理活检确定肝纤维化分期,同时100例患者均行实时组织弹性成像(RTE)与TE检测,比较两者与慢性肝病肝纤维化分期的相关性以及诊断肝纤维化与肝硬化的受试者工作特征曲线(ROC)曲线下面积。结果 TE与肝纤维化病理分期高度相关(r=0.763),RTE与肝纤维化病理分期中度相关(r=0.476),前者相关性显著高于后者(P=0.001);诊断肝纤维化的ROC曲线比较,TE的ROC曲线下面积(0.901)显著高于RTE的曲线下面积(0.738)(P=0.004);诊断肝硬化的ROC曲线比较,TE的曲线下面积(0.923)显著高于RTE的曲线下面积(0.791)(P=0.001)。结论TE较RTE对慢性肝病肝纤维化的诊断效能更高,但由于TE实际操作较RTE要求更高,推广程度低于RTE。     

瞬时弹性成像技术与APRI指数判定慢性肝病肝纤维化程度的临床研究

目的评估肝脏瞬时弹性成像技术(Fibro Scan,FS)的应用价值,为肝纤维化的准确诊断提供安全、可靠的检测方法。方法选择2014年3月至2015年5月就诊于漯河市中心医院和郑州大学第一附属医院并经肝组织活检确定为慢性肝病患者168例,运用FS检测肝脏硬度(LSM);测定丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)和总胆红素(TBIL);检测血小板计数,并计算AST/PLT比值(APRI)。以肝活组织检查病理结果为依据,分析LSM、APRI与肝纤维化程度的相关性。应用SPSS 17.1统计软件进行统计分析。绘制受试者工作特征曲线分析二者诊断慢性肝病肝纤维化的准确性,Spearman相关分析影响肝硬度值的相关因素。结果 168例慢性肝病患者LSM值中位数为10.8 k Pa;APRI中位数为0.71;LSM值与肝纤维化成正相关(r=0.832,P=0.000),LSM诊断肝组织病理学纤维化分期S≥2,S≥3及S=4的ROC曲线下面积分别为0.894,0.923和0.951,明显高于APRI(0.691,0.715及0.736)诊断的ROC曲线下面积。Spearman相关分析显示,LSM与年龄、ALT≥2倍正常上限值、AST、TBIL及肝组织炎症呈正相关,相关系数r分别为0.486、0.570、0.617、0.481及0.549(P0.05),与PLT呈负相关(r=-0.527,P0.05)。结论FS是一种简便、可靠的慢性肝病肝纤维化诊断方法,其灵敏度及特异度均优于APRI。年龄、高水平的ALT、AST和TBIL≥2×ULN是其独立的影响因素。     

实时组织弹性成像技术对慢性乙型肝炎肝纤维化的诊断价值

目的探讨实时组织弹性成像技术(RTE)对慢性乙型肝炎患者肝纤维化程度的诊断价值。方法选取2013年3-8月于首都医科大学附属北京天坛医院和佑安医院就诊的86例慢性乙型肝炎患者,按照肝纤维化病理分期分组,依次进行RTE检查、血清生化学指标检测、肝穿刺活组织检查,计算肝纤维化指数(LFI)和APRI指数。各纤维化分期之间的比较采用单因素方差分析,进一步两两比较采用LSD-t检验,LFI与肝纤维化病理分期的相关性检验采用Spearman相关分析。计算LFI诊断肝纤维化的灵敏度、特异度,分别以肝纤维化S≥2(显著肝纤维化)、S≥4(早期肝硬化)为判断阳性的标准绘制受试者工作特征曲线(ROC),并与APRI指数进行比较。结果除S0与S1之间LFI差异无统计学意义(P=0.298),其余各期差异均有统计学意义(P=0.000)。LFI与病理分期有明显相关性,相关系数r=0.831,P0.001。LFI诊断显著肝纤维化和早期肝硬化的曲线下面积分别为0.873(P0.001)、0.923(P=0.002),诊断阈值分别为2.74、3.61,敏感度、特异度分别为0.766、0.872和0.833、0.878,明显优于APRI指数。结论 RTE技术对显著肝纤维化和早期肝硬化有较高的诊断价值,是慢性乙型肝炎肝纤维化无创诊断的一种重要方法。     

实时组织弹性成像定量评价大鼠肝纤维化

目的 分析应用实时组织弹性成像技术定量评价大鼠肝纤维化的可行性.方法 应用二甲基亚硝胺对70只Wistar大鼠以50mg/kg的剂量一次性腹膜腔注射,复制大鼠肝纤维化模型作为实验组,10只大鼠腹膜腔一次性注射同等量等渗盐水作为对照组.造模后于第5、7、10、14、21、28天分别随机从实验组中取9～10只、对照组中取1～2只大鼠进行超声弹性检查,记录蓝色区域百分比(％AREA)和肝纤维化指数(LF index).随后处死大鼠,取其肝脏行病理纤维化分期及炎症坏死程度分级.分析弹性特征参数与病理纤维化分期及炎症坏死程度的关系.计量资料(偏态)用中位数(四分位间距)表示;采用Spearman相关分析检验LF index、％AREA与肝纤维化病理分级间的相关性,采用多组间秩和检验检测不同肝纤维化组间的LF index、％AREA的差别并用最小显著差异法进一步行两两比较,对LF index和％AREA的诊断效率行受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线分析.结果 58只大鼠造模成功,其中肝纤维化分级为S1、S2、S3、S4的各有9、13、14、12只,伴或不伴有轻度炎症坏死,其余10只大鼠肝脏发生严重炎症坏死而无纤维化.LF index值和％AREA值均随着肝纤维化程度的增加而增大,各组间差异均具有统计学意义(P＜0.05);Lfindex值、％AREA值与肝纤维化病理分期均具有一定相关性(r=0.643,P=0.000和r=0.662,P=0.000).应用LF index和％AREA诊断肝纤维化S1或更高分级纤维化,其ROC曲线下面积分别为0.943和0.948;用于诊断S2或更高分级纤维化,ROC曲线下面积分别为0.890和0.883;用于诊断S3或更高分级纤维化,ROC曲线下面积分别为0.743和0.772;用于诊断S4,ROC曲线下面积分别为0.821和0.842.10只S0伴严重炎症坏死的大鼠与S0无炎症坏死大鼠的Lfindex及％AREA差异均有统计学意义(p=0.005和P=0.017).结论 实时组织弹性成像技术可定量诊断大鼠肝纤维化,但严重的炎症坏死会影响其准确性.     

瞬时弹性成像对HIV合并HCV感染者肝纤维化的诊断效能

目的探讨瞬时弹性成像对HIV合并HCV感染者肝纤维化分期的诊断效能。方法选取2013年1月-2018年12月在新疆维吾尔自治区第六人民医院住院的HIV合并HCV感染者,采集所有患者的血常规、肝功能、肾功能、凝血、肝纤维化相关血生化、HIV及HCV病毒载量等指标,计算血清学无创模型(APRI及FIB-4),并且所有患者均接受肝组织病理学检查,活检前3 d内进行瞬时弹性成像检测,结果以肝硬度值(LSM)表示。计量资料多组间比较采用单因素方差分析或Kruskal-Wallis H检验,Spearman分析LSM、APRI、FIB-4及肝纤维化相关血生化指标、HCV RNA定量与肝活检纤维化分期的相关性,应用受试者工作特征曲线(ROC曲线)评价LSM对于合并感染者肝纤维化分期的诊断效能,确定其诊断界值。结果共纳入76例肝活检并确诊的HIV合并HCV感染者。相关性分析显示LSM与肝纤维化分期相关性最好(r=0.526,P0.001),优于APRI (r=0.403,P0.001)及FIB-4(r=0.441,P0.001),而肝纤维化相关血生化指标中,仅有Ⅳ型胶原与肝纤维化分期相关(r=0.339,P0.05),而HCV RNA定量与肝纤维化分期无相关性。且对于显著肝纤维化阶段,LSM诊断S2、S3和S4的ROC曲线下面积分别为0.809、0.929和0.906,最佳诊断界值分别为11.6、12.7和14.5 kPa。结论瞬时弹性成像能够较准确的诊断HIV合并HCV感染者肝纤维化分期,在避免肝活检的条件下,对于抗病毒治疗方案的制订及肝纤维化进展的判断提供更加可靠的依据,具有较好的临床应用价值。     

超声弹性成像诊断大鼠肝纤维化的价值

肝纤维化是各种慢性肝病的重要病理特征,常伴有炎性反应,并可发展为肝硬化[1].研究表明,早期的肝纤维化在经过临床干预后可以逆转.因此,早期肝纤维化的诊断对于临床上慢性肝病患者诊疗方案的制定具有重要意义.肝活组织病理检查是诊断肝纤维化的"金标准",但有一定的局限性,比如出血、取样误差及观察者的主观依赖性等[2].无创评估肝纤维化一直是肝病领域的研究热点之一.目前,超声弹性成像如瞬时弹性成像、声脉冲辐射力成像及实时组织弹性成像技术等的研究备受瞩目.     

慢性乙型肝炎肝纤维化患者实时剪切波弹性成像的应用价值分析

目的探讨实时剪切波弹性成像技术(shear wave elastography,S W E)与常规超声检查在评估慢性乙型肝炎患者肝纤维化中的应用价值.方法回顾性分析唐山市传染病医院在2015-08/2017-06收治的慢性乙型肝炎患者87例,分别进行常规超声和S W E检查,以病理穿刺活检结果为金标准,分析常规超声、SWE与肝纤维化病理分期的相关性,评估常规超声、SWE诊断肝纤维化各分期的ROC曲线下面积,比较常规超声与SWE在诊断肝纤维化各分期的诊断效能.结果 (1)常规超声积分在肝纤维化相邻分期之间(S0-S1vs S2,S2 vs S3,S3 vs S4)比较差异无统计学意义(P=0.451,0.639,0.103);但不相邻分期(S0-S1 vs S3,S0-S1vs S4,S2 vs S4)之间常规超声评分比较差异具有统计学意义(P=0.001,0.000,0.000);SWE在不同肝纤维化分期的弹性模量值分别为(S0=5.625 kPa±1.221 kPa,S1=7.172 k Pa±1.818 k Pa,S2=10.295 kPa±3.122kPa,S3=15.541 kPa±4.340 kPa,S4=23.918 kPa±5.697 kPa),肝脏弹性模量在相邻及不相邻分期之间比较差异均具有统计学意义(P均0.05);(2)Spearman相关性分析显示,常规超声积分、SWE弹性模量值与肝纤维化分期之间存在正相关(r=0.529,0.798,P均0.001);SWE弹性模量值与肝纤维化之间相关系数高于常规超声积分;(3)常规超声积分在诊断肝纤维化S≥2、S≥3和S4期的ROC曲线下面积分别为0.766,0.891,0.764;SWE值在诊断肝纤维化S≥2、S≥3和S4期的ROC曲线下面积分别为0.941,0.948,0.952;SWE的诊断效能高于常规超声(P0.05).结论相比于常规超声,SWE技术在评估慢性乙型肝炎患者肝纤维化程度方面具有更高的应用价值,可重复性好,具有较高的潜在临床价值.     

声辐射力脉冲成像技术定量评价慢性丙型肝炎肝纤维化的临床研究

目的 探讨声脉冲辐射力成像技术(ARFI)在评价慢性丙型肝炎肝纤维化程度上的临床价值. 方法 对108例慢性丙型肝炎患者应用ARFI技术对肝脏的实时超声弹性进行测量,患者均进行肝活组织检查,以病理检查结果与肝脏的实时超声弹性测值进行比较,计算ARFI技术诊断肝纤维化的灵敏度,特异度,取敏感度和特异度之和最大时为最佳界限值.应用SPSS10.0统计学软件进行统计学处理,多组间比较根据数据是否正态分布及方差齐性来选择采用参数或非参数检验分析,相关性分析采用spearman相关分析. 结果 慢性丙型肝炎患者肝纤维化分期S1 ～ S4期的ARFI平均值分别为(1.26±0.27) m/s(n=36)、(1.45±0.51) m/s(n=31)、(2.01±0.54)m/s(n=27)和(2.28±0.82) m/s(n=14),组间比较,秩和检验KW=42.307,P＜0.01.肝脏ARFI测值与肝纤维化分期相关,相关系数为0.61,P＜0.01.ARFI技术诊断慢性丙型肝炎肝纤维化S≥2,S≥3和S=4的受试者工作特征曲线下面积分别为0.779,0.863和0.880.结论 ARFI可较准确的定量评价慢性丙型肝炎肝纤维化程度,具有良好的临床应用前景.     

FibroScan对慢性乙型肝炎肝纤维化患者的应用价值及ALT、AST对其诊断的影响

目的探讨瞬时弹性探测仪(FS)在慢性乙型肝炎肝纤维化患者中应用价值及ALT、AST对其诊断纤维化的影响。方法应用FS对90名慢性乙型肝炎肝纤维化患者进行肝穿前肝脏弹性测量值(LSM)的测定,同时进行血清ALT、AST的检测。以肝脏活检病理结果为金标准,对肝纤维化进行分期。结果 LSM在肝纤维化病理S1～4之间逐渐增高,组间差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);相邻两分期间LSM组间差异均有统计学意义(P<0.01)。肝脏LSM与病理分期呈正相关(r=0774,P<0.01)。S1～4各期的LSM与相应分期的ALT呈正相关,相关系数分别为0.672(P=0.000)、0.790(P=0.000)、0.845(P=0.001)和0.797(P=0.003),S1～4各期LSM与相应分期的AST呈正相关,相关系数分别为0.593(P=0.000)、0.762(P=0.001)、0.743(P=0.009)和0.872(P=0.000)。结论 FS在慢性乙型肝炎肝纤维化程度评估中有较好的应用价值,但是血清ALT和AST水平对其有一定影响。     

FibroScan评估酒精性肝病肝纤维化程度的诊断价值

目的探讨瞬时弹性成像技术(FibroScan)在评估酒精性肝病肝纤维化程度中的应用价值。方法对60例酒精性肝病患者采用FibroScan测量肝脏硬度,获得FibroScan弹性值(FS值),同时对患者进行肝活组织检查.以病理结果为金标准,分析FS值与酒精性肝纤维化分期的相关性。用受试者工作特征(receiver operatmg charateristic,R()C)曲线评估FibroScan对酒精性肝病的诊断价值。结果酒精性肝病患者肝纤维化分期S0~S4的FS值分别为S0:(5.31±1.06)kPa、S1:(7.91±2.81)kPa、S2:(9.81±3.39)kPa、S3:(14.66±4.31)kPa、S4:(19.81±6.02)kPa。组间差异有统计学意义(P0.(5)。进一步分析显示FS值与肝纤维化分期呈正相关性(r=0.706,P0.05)。肝纤维化程度≥S1、≥S2、≥S3和S4的ROC曲线下面积分别为0.833、0.871、0.906和0.919。结论 Fibroscan作为一种无创技术,能够较准确地定量评估酒精性肝病肝纤维化程度。     

Ultrasound liver elastography beyond liver fibrosis assessment

Several guidelines have indicated that liver stiffness(LS) assessed by means of shear wave elastography(SWE) can safely replace liver biopsy in several clinical scenarios, particularly in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. However, an increase of LS may be due to some other clinical conditions not related to fibrosis,such as liver inflammation, acute hepatitis, obstructive cholestasis, liver congestion, infiltrative liver diseases. This review analyzes the role that SWE can play in cases of liver congestion due to right-sided heart failure, congenital heart diseases or valvular diseases. In patients with heart failure LS seems directly influenced by central venous pressure and can be used as a prognostic marker to predict cardiac events. The potential role of LS in evaluating liver disease beyond the stage of liver fibrosis has been investigated also in the hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome(SOS) and in the Budd-Chiari syndrome. In the hepatic SOS, an increase of LS is observed some days before the clinical manifestations;therefore, it could allow an early diagnosis to timely start an effective treatment.Moreover, it has been reported that patients that were successfully treated showed a LS decrease, that reached pre-transplantation value within two to four weeks. It has been reported that, in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome, LS values can be used to monitor short and long-term outcome after angioplasty.     

Assessing liver tumor stiffness by transient elastography

Background and aims Transient elastography is a novel noninvasive method to assess liver fibrosis by measuring liver stiffness. This study is a first step toward the provision of a noninvasive measurement of hepatic tumor stiffness by transient elastography. Patients and methods Patients with liver tumor larger than 5 cm in diameter and located near the liver surface were enrolled between June 2004 and February 2005. Histology of each tumor was evaluated on ultrasound-guided liver biopsy specimens. Transient elastography (Fibroscan, Echosens, Paris) was used to measure tumor stiffness. Tumor stiffness was measured as follows. First, by using B-mode ultrasound, we searched for the optimal right intercostal position for tumor stiffness measurement while keeping the ultrasound probe and body surface at right angles. Then the vibrator for transient elastography was applied at the same position and angle, and stiffness was measured according to the manufacturer’s instruction. Results Tumor stiffness was measured in 40 patients, 17 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), six with cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC), 16 with metastatic tumors (mostly adenocarcinoma), and one with malignant lymphoma. The median value was 55 kPa in HCC, 75 kPa in CCC, 66.5 kPa in metastatic tumor, and 16.9 kPa in malignant lymphoma. The stiffness value of CCC was significantly higher than that of HCC and metastatic tumors (P = .049). Conclusion We showed that stiffness of liver tumors could be measured with transient elastography. Improvements in the device, such as smaller and variable region of interest of measurement and real-time B-mode display, may ensure wider clinical application.     

Comparison of the liver stiffness measurement by transient elastography with the liver biopsy

AIM： To compare the liver stiffness （LS） measurement by transient elastography （TE） to the liver biopsy （LB）considered the ＂gold standard＂ in the evaluation of patients with chronic hepatitis C. METHODS： During a period of 12 mo, we evaluated 199 consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis due to hepatitis C virus （HCV）, in which LB and LS assessments （by means of TE） were performed during the same session. RESULTS： Out of 199 patients, a valid measurement of the LS could not be obtained in 8. The mean value of LS in the cohort of 191 valid measurements was 8.45 ± 4.96 kPa, ranging from 2.3 to 38 kPa. The mean value of LS in patients with significant fibrosis at biopsy （161 patients with F ≥ 2 according to Metavir） was 9.02 ± 5.15 kPa, significantly higher than in patients with no or mild fibrosis （30 patients with F 〈 2 Metavir）： 5.39 ± 1.81 kPa （P 〈 0.0001）. For a cutoff value of 6.8 kPa, the LS had a PPV of 98%, a NPV of 30.1%, a sensitivity of 59.6% and a specificity of 93.3% for the presence of significant fibrosis （at least F2 Metavir）, with a diagnostic performance of 77.3% （AUROC 0.773）. Using this cut-off value, we reached the best discrimination between absence of fibrosis/ mild fibrosis （F 〈 2 Metavir） and the presence ofmoderate to severe fibrosis （F ≥ 2 Metavir）. CONCLUSION： In patients with chronic hepatitis due to HCV, a cut-off value of 6.8 kPa measured by TE can differentiate between significant fibrosis and absent or mild fibrosis, with a PPV of 98%, a NPV of 30.1%, a sensitivity of 59.6%, a specificity of 93.3%, and a diagnostic performance of 77.3%.     

瞬时弹性检测技术在肝脏疾病诊断中的应用

目前,瞬时弹性检测肝脏疾病得到了广泛应用。越来越多的学者发现合理应用该技术能够帮助无创诊断肝纤维化、监测治疗效果及预估病情。本文主要介绍了该技术的原理、应用、影响因素及前景等方面的研究进展。     

A health technology assessment of transient elastography in adult liver disease

BACKGROUND:

An estimated one in 10 Canadians have some form of liver disease. The reference standard for staging and monitoring liver fibrosis is percutaneous liver biopsy – an invasive procedure associated with risks and complications. Transient elastography (TE) represents a noninvasive, ultrasound-based alternative.

OBJECTIVE:

To assess the efficacy of TE compared with liver biopsy for fibrosis staging in adults with five common types of liver disease: hepatitis B, hepatitis C, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cholestatic liver disease and complications post-liver transplantation.

METHODS:

A systematic review of published and grey literature from 2001 to June 2011 was conducted. Included were observational studies evaluating the accuracy of TE using liver biopsy as the comparator. An economic model was developed to estimate the cost per correct diagnosis gained with liver biopsy compared with TE. Identification of moderate fibrosis (stages 2 to 4) and cirrhosis (stage 4) were considered.

RESULTS:

Fifty-seven studies were included in the review. The diagnostic accuracy of TE for the five clinical subgroups had sensitivities ranging from 0.67 to 0.92 and specificities ranging from 0.72 to 0.95. Liver biopsy was associated with an additional $1,427 to $7,030 per correct diagnosis gained compared with TE. The model was sensitive to the sensitivity and specificity of TE and the prevalence of fibrosis.

CONCLUSIONS:

TE is an accurate diagnostic method in patients with moderate fibrosis or cirrhosis. TE is less effective but less expensive than liver biopsy. Systemic implementation of TE should be considered for the noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis.     

Point shear wave elastography method for assessing liver stiffness

AIM:To estimate the validity of the point shear-wave elastography method by evaluating its reproducibility and accuracy for assessing liver stiffness.METHODS:This was a single-center,cross-sectional study.Consecutive patients with chronic viral hepatitis scheduled for liver biopsy(LB)(Group 1)and healthy volunteers(Group 2)were studied.In each subject 10 consecutive point shear-wave elastography(PSWE)measurements were performed using the iU22 ultrasound system(Philips Medical Systems,Bothell,WA,United States).Patients in Group 1 underwent PSWE,transient elastography(TE)using FibroScan(Echosens,Paris,France)and ultrasound-assisted LB.For the assessment of PSWE reproducibility two expert raters(rater 1 and rater 2)independently performed the examinations.The performance of PSWE was compared to that of TE using LB as a reference standard.Fibrosis was staged according to the METAVIR scoring system.Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to calculate the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)for F≥2,F≥3and F=4.The intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of PSWE were assessed by calculating Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient.RESULTS:To assess the performance of PSWE,134consecutive patients in Group 1 were studied.The median values of PSWE and TE(in kilopascals)were 4.7(IQR=3.8-5.4)and 5.5(IQR=4.7-6.5),respectively,in patients at the F0-F1 stage and 3.5(IQR=3.2-4.0)and 4.4(IQR=3.5-4.9),respectively,in the healthy volunteers in Group 2(P<10-5).In the univariate analysis,the PSWE and TE values showed a high correlation with the fibrosis stage;low correlations with the degree of necroinflammation,aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT);and a moderate negative correlation with the platelet count.A multiple regression analysis confirmed the correlations of both PSWE and TE with fibrosis stage and GGT but not with any other variables.The following AUC values were found:0.80(0.71-0.87)for PSWE and 0.82(0.73-0.89)for TE(P=0.42);0.88(0.80-0.94)for PSWE and 0.95(0.88-0.98)for TE(P=0.06);and 0.95(0.89-0.99)for PSWE and 0.92(0.85-0.97)for TE(P=0.30)for F≥2,F≥3 and F=4,respectively.To assess PSWE reproducibility,116 subjects were studied,including 47consecutive patients scheduled for LB(Group 1)and 69 consecutive healthy volunteers(Group 2).The intraobserver agreement ranged from 0.83(95%CI:0.79-0.88)to 0.96(95%CI:0.95-0.97)for rater 1 and from 0.84(95%CI:0.79-0.88)to 0.96(95%CI:0.95-0.97)for rater 2.The interobserver agreement yielded values from0.83(95%CI:0.78-0.88)to 0.93(95%CI:0.91-0.95).CONCLUSION:PSWE is a reproducible method for assessing liver stiffness,and it compares with TE.Compared with patients with nonsignificant fibrosis,healthy volunteers showed significantly lower values.     

Performance of liver stiffness measurements by transient elastography in chronic hepatitis

AIM:To compare results of liver stiffness measurements by transient elastography(TE) obtained in our patients population with that used in a recently published meta-analysis.METHODS:This was a single center cross-sectional study.Consecutive patients with chronic viral hepatitis scheduled for liver biopsy at the outpatient ward of our Infectious Diseases Department were enrolled.TE was carried out by using FibroScan(Echosens,Paris,France).Liver biopsy was performed on the same day as TE,as day case procedure.Fibrosis was staged according to the Metavir scoring system.The diagnostic performance of TE was assessed by using receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves and the area under the ROC curve analysis.RESULTS:Two hundred and fifty-two patients met the inclusion criteria.Six(2%) patients were excluded due to unreliable TE measurements.Thus,246(171 men and 75 women) patients were analyzed.One hundred and ninety-five(79.3%) patients had chronic hepatitis C,41(16.7%) had chronic hepatitis B,and 10(4.0%) were coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus.ROC curve analysis identified optimal cut-off value of TE as high as 6.9 kPa forF ≥ 2;7.9 kPa forF ≥ 3;9.6 kPa for F = 4 in all patients(n = 246),and as high as 6.9 kPa for F ≥ 2;7.3 kPa for F ≥ 3;9.3 kPa for F = 4 in patients with hepatitis C(n = 195).Cut-off values of TE obtained by maximizing only the specificity were as high as 6.9 kPa for F ≥ 2;9.6 kPa for F ≥ 3;12.2 kPa for F = 4 in all patients(n = 246),and as high as 7.0 kPa forF ≥ 2;9.3 kPa forF ≥ 3;12.3 kPa forF = 4 in patients with hepatitis C(n = 195).CONCLUSION:The cut-off values of TE obtained in this single center study are comparable to that obtained in a recently published meta-analysis that included up to 40 studies.     

Effect of alcohol consumption on liver stiffness measured by transient elastography

AIM:To determine the evolution of transient elastography(TE) in patients with alcoholic liver disease according to alcohol cessation or continuation.METHODS:We retrospectively selected in our local database all patients who had two TE between June 2005 and November 2010 with chronic alcohol excessive consumption and excluded those with associated cause of liver disease.TE was performed at least one week apart by senior operator.TE examinations with less than ten successful measures or with an interquartile range above 30% were excluded.We retrospectively reviewed file of all patients to include only patient followed up by trained addictologist and for which definite information on alcohol consumption was available.Concomitant biological parameters [aspartate amino transferase(AST),alanine amino transferase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase(GGT)] within 4 wk of initial and final TE were recorded.Putative fibrosis score according to initial and final TE were determined with available cut-off for alcoholic liver disease and hepatitis C.Initial and final putative fibrosis score were compared according to alcohol consumption during follow-up.RESULTS:During the study period 572 patients had TE examination for alcoholic liver disease and 79 of them had at least two examinations.Thirty-seven patients met our criteria with a median follow-up of 32.5 wk.At the end of the study,13(35%) were abstinent,and 24(65%) relapsers.Eight patients had liver biopsy during follow-up.TE decreased significantly during follow-up in 85% of abstinent patients [median(range):-4.9(-6.1,-1.9)],leading to a modification of the putative fibrosis stage in 28%-71% of patient according to different cut-off value.In relapsers TE increased in 45% and decreased in 54% of patient.There was no statistical difference between initial and final TE in relapsers.In the overall population,using 22.6 kPa as cut-off for cirrhosis,4 patients had cirrhosis at initial TE and 3 patients had cirrhosis at final TE.Using 19.5 kPa as cut-off for cirrhosis,7 patients ha     

Transient elastography improves detection of liver cirrhosis compared to routine screening tests

AIM:To investigate the diagnostic significance oftransient elastography(TE) in a daily routine clinical setting in comparison to clinical signs,laboratory parameters and ultrasound.METHODS:TE,ultrasound,laboratory parameters and cutaneous liver signs were assessed in 291 consecutive patients with chronic liver disease of various aetiologies who underwent liver biopsy in daily routine.RESULTS:Sensitivity of TE for the detection of liver cirrhosis was 90.4%,compared to 80.1% for ultrasound,58.0% for platelet count and 45.1% for cutaneous liver signs(P < 0.0001 for comparisons with histology).AUROC for TE was 0.760(95%CI:0.694-0.825).Combination of TE with ultrasound increased sensitivity to 96.1% and AUROC to 0.825(95%CI:0.768-0.882).TE correlated with laboratory parameters of cirrhosis progression like albumin(r =-0.43),prothrombin time(r =-0.44),and bilirubin(r = 0.34; P < 0.001 for each).Particularly,in patients with Child Pugh score A or normal platelet count TE improved sensitivity for the detection of liver cirrhosis compared to ultrasound by 14.1%(P < 0.04) and 16.3%(P < 0.02),respectively.CONCLUSION:Transient elastography is superior to routine diagnostic tests allowing detection of liver cirrhosis in additional 10%-16% of patients with chronic liver disease that would have been missed by clinical examinations.