Performance of 2D-SWE.GE for predicting different stages of liver fibrosis, using Transient Elastography as the reference method

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the performance of 2D shear-wave elastography from General Electric (2D-SWE.GE) for the noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis and to identify liver stiffness (LS) cut-off values for predicting different stages of fibrosis using Transient Elastography (TE) as the reference method. Material and method: We included 331 consecutive subjects with or without chronic hepatopathies in whom LS was evaluated in the same session by means of 2 elastographic techniques: TE and 2D-SWE.GE. Reliable LS measurements were defined for TE as the median value of 10 measurements with a success rate of =60% and an interquartile range (IQR) < 30% and for 2D-SWE.GE as the median value of 10 measurements acquired in a homogenous area and an IQR < 30%. To discriminate between TE fibrosis stages we used the following cut-offs: F2- 7; F3- 9.5 and F4- 12kPa. Results: Reliable LS measurements were obtained in 95.8% subjects by 2D-SWE.GE, and 94.2% by TE (p=0.44). Based on TE cut-off values we divided our cohort into four groups: F < 2: 30.1%; F=2: 10.2%; F=3: 12.2%; F=4: 47.5%. A strong correlation was found between the LS values obtained by the 2 methods: r=0.83, p < 0.0001.LS values obtained by 2D-SWE.GE were significantly lower than those obtained by TE: 10.14±4.24 kPa vs. 16.72±13.4 kPa (p < 0.0001). The best cut-off value for F≥2, F≥3 and for F=4 were 6.7, 8.2 and 9.3 kPa. Conclusions: The best 2D-SWE.GE cut-off values for predicting F≥2, F≥3 and F=4 were 6.7, 8.2 and 9.3kPa.