The Value of 2D-Swe.Ge for the Evaluation of Liver Fibrosis in Patients with HCV Compensated Chronic Hepatopathies

Abstract

To evaluate the performance of the 2D- shear wave elastography technique from General Electrics (2D-SWE.GE), for the evaluation of liver fibrosis in patients with HCV chronic hepatopathies, using Transient Elastography (TE) as the reference method. We included 145 consecutive subjects with HCV compensated chronic hepatopathies, in whom liver stiffness was evaluated in the same session by means of 2 elastographic measurements: TE (FibroScan, EchoSens) and 2D-SWE.GE (LOGIQ E9, GE Healthcare). Reliable LS measurements were defined as follows: for TE – the median value of 10 measurements with a success rate of ≥60% and an interquartile range<30% and for 2D-SWE.GE - the median value of 10 measurements acquired in a homogenous area and an interquartile range (IQR) <30%. To discriminate between various stages of fibrosis by TE we used the following cut-offs: F≥2: 7.1 kPa, F≥3: 9.5 kPa, F=4: 12.5 kPa. Reliable LS measurements were obtained in 138/145 (95.1%) subjects by 2D-SWE.GE and in 139/145 (95.8%) by TE (p=0.9). The final analysis was performed on 134 subjects with valid measurements by both methods. We found a good positive correlation between the LS values obtained by the 2 methods r=0.79, p<0.0001. Based on TE cut-off values we divided out cohort into 4 groups: F0-F1:36/134 (26.8%), F2: 23/134 (17.2%), F3:23/134 (17.2%) and F4:52/134 (38.8%). The AUROC was 0.909 for significant fibrosis (F≥2), 0.954 for severe fibrosis (F≥3) and 0.942 for cirrhosis (F=4). The best cut-off values for F≥2 was 7 kPa (Sensitivity 85.7, Specificity 80.5), for F≥3 it was 9.2 kPa (Sensitivity 85.3, Specificity 91.5) and F=4 it was 10.7 kPa (Sensitivity 84.6, Specificity 91.4). 2D-SWE.GE seems a reliable method for liver fibrosis staging in patients with HCV compensated chronic hepatopathies. The best 2D-SWE.GE cut-off values for F≥2, F≥3 and F=4 in HCV chronic hepatopathies were 7, 9.2 and 10.7 kPa.