title: Influence of measurement depth on the stiffness assessment of healthy liver with real-time shear wave elastography.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the measurement depth range within which liver stiffness can be reliably assessed using real-time shear wave elastography (SWE) technology. Measurements were performed on phantoms and healthy volunteers. In the first group of patients, measurements were performed at depths of 2-8 cm from the probe surface. In the second group of patients, measurements were conducted 0-7 cm below the liver capsule. Success rate of measurements (SRoM), success rate of patients (SRoS) and coefficients of variation (CVs) of repeated measurements were compared. The SRoMs at 3-7 cm and the CVs at 2-5 cm from the probe surface were significantly higher and lower than those at other depths (p < 0.001), respectively. SRoS was zero 0-1 cm below the liver capsule. Furthermore, the features of 2-D stiffness mapping images were also found to change with depth. According to our results, the depth range for the most reliable liver stiffness assessment using SWE should be 3-5 cm from the probe surface and simultaneously 1-2 cm below the liver capsule.
authors.affiliation: Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
authors.forename: Cong-Zhi
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ze-Ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China. Electronic address: hr.zheng@siat.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Hai-Rong
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: zhengrongqin@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Rong-Qin
authors.initials: RQ
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D055119:Elastic Modulus / Q000502:physiology; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D033081:Shear Strength
keywords: Liver capsule; Liver stiffness; Measurement depth; Real-time shear wave elastography; Young's modulus