Non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis in a rat model: shear wave elasticity imaging versus real-time elastography.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of shear wave elasticity imaging (SWEI) and real-time elastography (RTE) in liver fibrosis induced by dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) and to compare the accuracy of these methods. Seventy male Wistar rats given a single intra-peritoneal injection of DMN and 10 control rats given a saline injection underwent SWEI and RTE to determine their shear wave velocity (V(s)) and liver fibrosis (LF) index, respectively. Correlations between V(s) or the LF index and histologic stage of liver fibrosis (S0-S4) were analyzed, and the diagnostic values of the techniques were assessed using a receiver operating characteristic curve. A positive correlation was found between V(s) and stage of liver fibrosis (r = 0.947, p < 0.001) and between LF index and stage (S) of liver fibrosis (r = 0.662, p < 0.001). For Vs, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the diagnosis of fibrosis, S ≥ S1, S ≥ S2, S ≥ S3 and S = S4, were 0.983, 0.995, 0.999 and 0.964, respectively; for the LF index, the values were 0.871, 0.887, 0.761 and 0.839, respectively (all p < 0.001). Vs and the LF index values in rats with severe inflammatory activity were significantly higher than those in controls (p < 0.001). In conclusion, positive correlations exist between V(s) or the LF index and the severity of liver fibrosis in rats. Vs is more accurate than the LF index in predicting liver fibrosis in rats. However, severe inflammatory activity may reduce the accuracy of both techniques.

• Authors: Sen-Hao Lin, Hong Ding, Feng Mao, Li-Yun Xue, Wei-Wei Lv, Hong-Guang Zhu, Bei-Jian Huang, Wen-Ping Wang
• Journal: Ultrasound in medicine & biology (Ultrasound Med Biol) Vol. 39 Issue 7 Pg. 1215-22 (Jul 2013) ISSN: 1879-291X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23602805 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Evaluation Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Animals
• Disease Models, Animal
• Elasticity Imaging Techniques (methods)
• Humans
• Image Enhancement (methods)
• Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted (methods)
• Liver Cirrhosis (diagnostic imaging)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Reproducibility of Results
• Sensitivity and Specificity