title: Comparative study between two point Shear Wave Elastographic techniques: Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) elastography and ElastPQ.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the feasibility and the liver stiffness (LS) values obtained by means of the two available point Shear Wave Elastographic (pSWE) techniques: ARFI elastography and ElastPQ technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study included 176 subjects with or without chronic liver disease, in which LS was evaluated in the same session by means of ARFI elastography and ElastPQ.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten valid measurements were obtained in all subjects by means of ARFI elastography and in 97.7% cases by means of ElastPQ (p=0.12). Reliable LS measurements by means of ARFI elastography were obtained in 170/176 subjects (96.5%), so the final analysis included 166/176 subjects (94.3%). The mean LS values by ARFI were significantly higher than those obtained by ElastPQ: 1.46+/-0.69 m/s vs. 1.32+/-0.52 m/s, p=0.0004. For a LS cut-off value >1.4 m/second, ARFI elastography had 83.1%accuracy (AUROC=0.822) to differentiate between subjects with or without chronic liver disease, while the best ElastPQ cut-off value to discriminate between these two categories of subjects was >1.23 m/second, with 83.7% accuracy (AUROC=0.851).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both available pSWE techniques have very good feasibility for the non-invasive liver fibrosis assessment and a good performance for predicting the presence of liver pathology. LS values obtained by Elast PQ technique are significant lower than those obtained by ARFI elastography.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Romania. isporea@umft.ro.
authors.forename: Ioan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sporea
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bota
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Oana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Grădinaru-Taşcău
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Roxana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Şirli
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Popescu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult