Potential use of point shear wave elastography for the pancreas: a single center prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
Clinical use of point shear wave elastography for the liver has been established, however, few studies demonstrated its usefulness for the pancreas. A prospective study was conducted to clarify its feasibility for the pancreas and its usefulness for the identification of high risk group for pancreatic cancer.


METHODS
Consecutive eighty-five patients underwent point shear wave elastography for the pancreas. The success rate of shear wave velocity (SWV) measurement, that is the number of successful measurements over total 10 measurements, was recorded. The SWV of the pancreas measured at non-tumorous area was compared between patients with and without pancreatic cancer. Factors associated with high SWV were determined by logistic regression model.


RESULTS
Sixty patients were included, of these 18 had pancreatic cancer. The success rate of 100% was achieved at the head, the body and the tail of the pancreas in 80%, 83%, and 68% of the patients, respectively. The success rate of ≥80% was achieved in 100%, 100%, and 96% of the patients, respectively. Although mean SWV of the pancreas harboring pancreatic cancer tended to be higher compared with that of the pancreas without cancer (1.51 ± 0.45 m/s vs 1.43 ± 0.28 m/s), they did not reach statistical significance. Multivariate analysis showed that increased amount of alcohol intake was associated with high SWV.


CONCLUSIONS
The SWV of the pancreas was measured with excellent success rate. However, tendency of higher SWV obtained from the pancreas harboring pancreatic cancer needed to be further investigated.
Department of Pathology, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, 1-3-3 Nakamichi, Higashinari, Osaka 537-8511, Japan; Department of Gastroenterology, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan. Electronic address: kawada-na@mc.pref.osaka.jp.
Natsuko
N
Kawada
Osaka Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, 1-6-107, Morinomiya, Johtoh, Osaka 536-8588, Japan. Electronic address: sachi686@cocoa.plala.or.jp.
Sachiko
S
Tanaka
Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, 1-3-3 Nakamichi, Higashinari, Osaka 537-8511, Japan. Electronic address: uehara-hi@mc.pref.osaka.jp.
Hiroyuki
H
Uehara
Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, 1-3-3 Nakamichi, Higashinari, Osaka 537-8511, Japan. Electronic address: okawa-ka@mc.pref.osaka.jp.
Kazuyoshi
K
Ohkawa
Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, 1-3-3 Nakamichi, Higashinari, Osaka 537-8511, Japan. Electronic address: yamai-ta@mc.pref.osaka.jp.
Takuo
T
Yamai
Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, 1-3-3 Nakamichi, Higashinari, Osaka 537-8511, Japan. Electronic address: takada-ry@mc.pref.osaka.jp.
Ryoji
R
Takada
Department of Gastroenterology, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan. Electronic address: shiroeda@kanazawa-med.ac.jp.
Hisakazu
H
Shiroeda
Department of Gastroenterology, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan. Electronic address: tarisawa@kanazawa-med.ac.jp.
Tomiyasu
T
Arisawa
Department of Pathology, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, 1-3-3 Nakamichi, Higashinari, Osaka 537-8511, Japan. Electronic address: tomota-ya@mc.pref.osaka.jp.
Yasuhiko
Y
Tomita
D000368:Aged; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
ARFI; Elastography; Pancreas; Shear wave