Limitations and artifacts in shear-wave elastography of the liver.
10.1007/s13534-017-0028-1
- Author:
Matthew BRUCE
1
;
Orpheus KOLOKYTHAS
;
Giovanna FERRAIOLI
;
Carlo FILICE
;
Matthew O'DONNELL
Author Information
1. Applied Physics Lab, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Fibrosis;
Shear-wave elasticity imaging;
Acoustic radiation force;
Shear modulus;
Shear-wave speed;
Liver stiffness
- MeSH:
Acoustics;
Artifacts*;
Chronic Disease;
Elasticity;
Elasticity Imaging Techniques*;
Fibrosis;
Liver Cirrhosis;
Liver*;
Methods;
Ultrasonography
- From:
Biomedical Engineering Letters
2017;7(2):81-89
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Recent studies have shown that real-time, two-dimensional shear-wave elastography (2D-SWE) can monitor liver fibrosis by measuring tissue elasticity (i.e., elastic modulus). Two clinical studies of 2D-SWE in the liver have shown that there are several practical issues that can compromise quantitation of liver tissue elasticity. Both general ultrasound (US) limitations and limitations in the 2D-SWE method itself resulted in significant variability in estimated liver elasticity. The most common US limitations were: poor acoustic window, limited penetration, and rib/lung shadows. The most common 2D-SWE limitations were: reverberations under the liver capsule, respiratory/cardiac motion, and vessel pulsation/loss of SWE signal. Based on these studies, scan protocols have been optimized to minimize the influence of these limitations on liver elasticity quantification. These refined protocols should move non-invasive SWE closer to becoming the preferred tool to diagnose and manage many chronic diseases of the liver.
