Which elastographic method is more feasible in assessing spleen stiffness in patients with HCV compensated liver cirrhosis?

The aim of this study was to compare the feasibility of four ultrasound based elastographic methods used for assessing spleen stiffness.

Material and methods: The study included 42 subjects diagnosed with HCV compensated liver cirrhosis in whom spleen stiffness (SS) was evaluated in the same session by means of 4 elastographic methods: Point shear wave elastography techniques: Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification (VTQ)-Acuson S2000, Siemens and ElastPQ technique-Affinity, Philips; 2D Shear Waves Elastography-Aixplorer, Supersonic Imagine (2D SWE) and the LogiqE9, General Electric (2D-SWE GE).

Reliable SS measurements were defined as follows: for ElastPQ, VTQ and 2D-SWE.GE- the median value of 10 SS measurements with a success rate≥60% and an interquartile range< 30% and for 2D-SWE the mean value of 3 measurements acquired in a homogenous area. SS was expressed in kPa for 2D-SWE, ElastPQ and m/s for VTQ and 2D-SWE GE.

Results: Reliable SS measurements were obtained in: 85.7% with 2D-SWE GE, 85.7% with VTQ, 47.61% with 2D-SWE and 30.95% with ElastPQ.

2D-SWE GE and VTQ had similar rates of reliable SS measurements. The mean value for 2D-SWE GE was 2.46 ± 0.74 m/s and for VTQ was 3.14 ± 0.58 m/s.

Conclusions: 2D-SWE GE and VTQ were the most feasible shear-waves elastographic methods in assessing spleen stiffness in patients with HCV compensated liver cirrhosis.