title: Elastography in clinical practice.
abstract: Elastography is a new technique that evaluates tissue stiffness. There are two elastography methods, strain and shear wave elastography. Both techniques are being used to evaluate a wide range of applications in medical imaging. Elastography of breast masses and prostates have been shown to have high accuracy for characterizing masses and can significantly decrease the need for biopsies. Shear wave elastography has been shown to be able to detect and grade liver fibrosis and may decrease the need for liver biopsy. Evaluation of other organs is still preliminary. This article reviews the principles of elastography and its potential clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Northeastern Ohio Medical University, 4209 Ohio 44, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA; Southwoods Imaging, Radiology Consultants Inc, 7623 Market Street, Boardman, OH 44512, USA. Electronic address: rgbarr@zoominternet.net.
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Barr
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Breast cancer; Breast mass; Elastography; Liver fibrosis; Prostate cancer; Thyroid mass; Ultrasound