Shear Wave Elastography in the Assessment of Liver Changes in Children with Cystic Fibrosis

Abstract

A standard ultrasound examination of the liver was performed in 232 children. It was supplemented by a two-dimensional shear wave elastography. There were 200 healthy children aged 3 to 18 years (control group) and 32 patients with cystic fibrosis aged 2 to 17 years (study group) among them. The procedure was carried out by means of Aixplorer device (Supersonic Imagine, France) using a convex sensor operating in the 1–6 MHz frequency range. Ten measurements of Young modulus values were carried out in different segments of the right lobe of the liver followed by data averaging. In patients with cystic fibrosis, the values of Young modulus were significantly higher than in healthy children (Emean median: 6.50 and 5.00 kPa, interquartile range: 5.62–7.52 and 4.70–5.38 kPa, respectively (p < 0.001). In patients with severe cystic fibrosis, the values of Young modulus were significantly higher compared to patients suffering from moderate disease (Emean median: 7.30 and 5.90 kPa, interquartile range: 6.20–10.70 and 5.20–6.75 kPa, respectively (p < 0.002). Shear wave elastography is a non-invasive technique that can be successfully used in a comprehensive ultrasound assessment of the liver in children with cystic fibrosis to facilitate the diagnosis and monitoring of fibrous changes.