Comparison between preoperative two-dimensional shear wave elastography and indocyanine green clearance test for prediction of post-hepatectomy liver failure.

Abstract

Post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) is one of the most serious complications and major causes of liver resection mortality. The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare the performance of preoperative two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) and the indocyanine green (ICG) clearance test for the prediction of PHLF. A total of 172 consecutive patients who were undergoing major liver resection were prospectively identified. Patients were evaluated by preoperative 2D-SWE and ICG clearance test. According to the International Study Group of Liver Surgery (ISGLS) recommendations, No PHLF, PHLF A, PHLF B, and PHLF C group classifications were defined. The differences in liver stiffness value (LSV) and ICG retention rate at 15 minutes (ICGR15) among the different PHLF classifications were investigated. The performance of LSV and ICGR15 for diagnosing different classifications of PHLF was compared. PHLF occurred in 43 (25.0%) patients, and 24 (14.0%) patients were grade A, 14 (8.1%) were grade B, and 5 (2.9%) were grade C. Both LSV and ICGR15 of the PHLF C group were significantly higher than those of the No PHLF group (P=0.025, P=0.001, respectively). According to univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, LSV and ICGR15 were significantly related to PHLF (P=0.051, P=0.084, respectively). For diagnosis of ≥ PHLF A, ≥ PHLF B, and ≥ PHLF C, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) for 2D-SWE were 0.624 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.536-0.712, P=0.015], 0.699 (95% CI: 0.576-0.821, P=0.005), and 0.831 (95% CI: 0.737-0.925, P=0.01), respectively. The AUCs of the ICG clearance test were 0.631 (95% CI: 0.542-0.721, P=0.01), 0.570 (95% CI: 0.436-0.704, P=0.32), and 0.717 (95% CI: 0.515-0.920, P=0.098), respectively. The AUC of LSV for the diagnosis of ≥ PHLF A was comparable to that of ICGR15 (P=0.17). The AUCs of LSV were significantly higher than those of ICGR15 for the diagnosis of ≥ PHLF B (P=0.002) and C (P=0.038). 2D-SWE demonstrates the potential to aid in the prediction of the severity of PHLF. Our findings also suggest that the performance of 2D-SWE is better than the ICG clearance test.