ACOUSTIC RADIATION FORCE IMPULSE IS EQUIVALENT TO LIVER BIOPSY TO EVALUATE LIVER FIBROSIS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS C AND NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE.
BACKGROUND
Liver biopsy is recommended as the gold standard method for assessing the stage of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. However, it is invasive, with potential risks and complications. Elastography is an ultrasound technique that provides information of changes in the liver tissue, evaluating tissue elasticity and acoustic radiation force impulse is one of the available techniques.


OBJECTIVE
The main objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of acoustic radiation force impulse comparing to liver biopsy to evaluate fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.


METHODS
Twenty four patients were included, everyone underwent liver biopsy and acoustic radiation force impulse, and the results were compared with values described in the literature by several authors.


RESULTS
In the population of patients with chronic hepatitis C, our data were better correlated with data published by Carmen Fierbinteanu-Braticevici et al., with an accuracy of 82.4%, sensitivity of 71.4% and specificity of 90%. For nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, our data were better correlated with data published by Masato Yoneda et al., with an accuracy of 85.7%, sensitivity 80% and specificity of 100%.


CONCLUSIONS
Acoustic radiation force impulse is a method with good accuracy to distinguish initial fibrosis from advanced fibrosis in hepatitis C virus and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and can replace biopsy in most cases.
Unidade de Gastroenterologia e Hepatologia, Hospital Nossa Senhora das Graças, Curitiba, PR, BR.
Juliana Ayres de Alencar Arrais
JA
Guerra
Diagnóstico Avançado por Imagem (DAPI), Curitiba, PR, BR.
Marcus
M
Trippia
Unidade de Gastroenterologia e Hepatologia, Hospital Nossa Senhora das Graças, Curitiba, PR, BR.
Alcindo
A
Pissaia
Diagnóstico Avançado por Imagem (DAPI), Curitiba, PR, BR.
Bernardo Corrêa de Almeida
BC
Teixeira
Unidade de Gastroenterologia e Hepatologia, Hospital Nossa Senhora das Graças, Curitiba, PR, BR.
Cláudia Alexandra Pontes
CA
Ivantes
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000150:complications*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult