Hepatic and Splenic Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Shear Wave Velocity Elastography in Children with Liver Disease Associated with Cystic Fibrosis.

Teresa Cañas,Gloria Gómez-Mardones,Rosa Ana Muñoz-Codoceo,Teresa Fontanilla,Araceli Maciá,Patricia González-Rios,María Miralles

doi:10.1155/2015/517369

Abstract

Background. Liver disease associated with cystic fibrosis (CFLD) is the second cause of mortality in these patients. The diagnosis is difficult because none of the available tests are specific enough. Noninvasive elastographic techniques have been proven to be useful to diagnose hepatic fibrosis. Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is an elastography imaging system. The purpose of the work was to study the utility of liver and spleen ARFI Imaging in the detection of CFLD. Method. 72 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) were studied and received ARFI imaging in the liver and in the spleen. SWV values were compared with the values of 60 healthy controls. Results. Comparing the SWV values of CFLD with the control healthy group, values in the right lobe were higher in patients with CFLD. We found a SWV RHL cut-off value to detect CFLD of 1.27 m/s with a sensitivity of 56.5% and a specificity of 90.5%. CF patients were found to have higher SWC spleen values than the control group. Conclusions. ARFI shear wave elastography in the right hepatic lobe is a noninvasive technique useful to detect CFLD in our sample of patients. Splenic SWV values are higher in CF patients, without any clinical consequence.

Highlights

Hepatic chronic disease associated with cystic fibrosis is the second cause of mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients
The real prevalence of cystic fibrosis liver disease (CFLD) is unknown owing to its difficult diagnosis because none of the available tests are specific or sensitive enough and because there is a discrepancy between the ultrasound findings, the laboratory tests, and the clinical manifestations [1, 2]
Comparing the shear wave velocity (SWV) values of RHL in the three groups we found a significant value of F (P = 0.003)

Summary

Introduction

Hepatic chronic disease associated with cystic fibrosis is the second cause of mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The real prevalence of cystic fibrosis liver disease (CFLD) is unknown (it is estimated between 13 and 25%) owing to its difficult diagnosis because none of the available tests are specific or sensitive enough and because there is a discrepancy between the ultrasound findings, the laboratory tests, and the clinical manifestations [1, 2]. Liver disease associated with cystic fibrosis (CFLD) is the second cause of mortality in these patients. 72 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) were studied and received ARFI imaging in the liver and in the spleen. Comparing the SWV values of CFLD with the control healthy group, values in the right lobe were higher in patients with CFLD. ARFI shear wave elastography in the right hepatic lobe is a noninvasive technique useful to detect CFLD in our sample of patients. Splenic SWV values are higher in CF patients, without any clinical consequence

Objectives

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Conclusion