title: Impact factors and the optimal parameter of acoustic structure quantification in the assessment of liver fibrosis.
abstract: The aims of the present study are to assess the impact factors on acoustic structure quantification (ASQ) ultrasound and find the optimal parameter for the assessment of liver fibrosis. Twenty healthy volunteers underwent ASQ examinations to evaluate impact factors in ASQ image acquisition and analysis. An additional 113 patients with liver diseases underwent standardized ASQ examinations, and the results were compared with histologic staging of liver fibrosis. We found that the right liver displayed lower values of ASQ parameters than the left (p = 0.000-0.021). Receive gain experienced no significant impact except gain 70 (p = 0.193-1.000). With regard to different diameter of involved vessels in regions of interest, the group ≤2.0 mm differed significantly with the group 2.1-5.0 mm (p = 0.000-0.033) and the group >5.0 mm (p = 0.000-0.062). However, the region of interest size (p = 0.438-1.000) and depth (p = 0.072-0.764) had no statistical impact. Good intra- and inter-operator reproducibilities were found in both image acquisitions and offline image analyses. In the liver fibrosis study, the focal disturbance ratio had the highest correlation with histologic fibrosis stage (r = 0.67, p < 0.001). In conclusion, the testing position, receive gain and involved vessels were the main factors in ASQ examinations and focal disturbance ratio was the optimal parameter in the assessment of liver fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasonics, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasonics, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Guang-Jian
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasonics, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Guang-Liang
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasonics, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasonics, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Lu-Yao
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Fen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasonics, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasonics, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasonics, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: wangw73@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasonics, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Ming-De
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D065638:Absorption, Radiation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056888:Patient Positioning / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013016:Sound; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acoustic structure quantification; Elastography; Liver fibrosis; Morphology; Ultrasound