Aim: to evaluate the feasibility of the 2D-SWE in patients with compensated and vascular decompensated liver cirrhosis.
Methods: the study group included 71 subjects diagnosed with liver cirrhosis by clinical, biological, ultrasound and/or endoscopic criteria. All subjects underwent 2D-SWE with an AixplorerTM ultrasound system (SuperSonic Imagine S.A., Aix-en-Provence, France). In each patient we aimed to perform three liver stiffness measurements, with the patient in supine position and the mean value was cirrhosis by clinical, biological, ultrasound and/or endoscopic criteria. All subjects underwent 2D-SWE with an AixplorerTM ultrasound system (SuperSonic Imagine S.A., Aix-en-rovence, France). In each patient we aimed to perform three liver stiffness measurements, with the patient in supine position and the mean value was calculated and expressed in kiloPascals (kPa).
Results: from the 71 subjects, 65.2% men and 34.8% women with a median age of 60.5 years (ranging between 22-82 years). The etiology of the liver cirrhosis was: HCV-22.2%, HBV- 12.5%, HCV and HBV-2.7%, ethanol-13.8% and other etiologies - 47.2%. Vascular decompensation (ascites) was present in 27.7% of cases. We obtained reliable 2D-SWE measurements in 62 subjects (87.3%) and the mean liver stiffness value for 2D-SWE was 26.8±14 kPa. The feasibility of 2D-SWE was similar in patients with compensated and vascular decompensated cirrhosis:
86% vs. 90% (p=0.9). The mean liver stiffness values (kPa) were significantly higher in patients with vascular decompensation vs. those with compensated cirrhosis: 35.9±13 vs. 23.1±12.8 (p=0.0004).
Conclusion: 2D-SWE is a feasible elastographic method both in patients with compensated and vascular decompensated liver cirrhosis. The liver stiffness values seems to increase in vascular decompensated liver cirrhosis but further studies, on larger number of patients, are needed to assess the value of the method in predicting vascular decompensation.
