Acoustic structure quantification by using ultrasound Nakagami imaging for assessing liver fibrosis.
Acoustic structure quantification (ASQ) is a recently developed technique widely used for detecting liver fibrosis. Ultrasound Nakagami parametric imaging based on the Nakagami distribution has been widely used to model echo amplitude distribution for tissue characterization. We explored the feasibility of using ultrasound Nakagami imaging as a model-based ASQ technique for assessing liver fibrosis. Standard ultrasound examinations were performed on 19 healthy volunteers and 91 patients with chronic hepatitis B and C (n = 110). Liver biopsy and ultrasound Nakagami imaging analysis were conducted to compare the METAVIR score and Nakagami parameter. The diagnostic value of ultrasound Nakagami imaging was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The Nakagami parameter obtained through ultrasound Nakagami imaging decreased with an increase in the METAVIR score (p < 0.0001), representing an increase in the extent of pre-Rayleigh statistics for echo amplitude distribution. The area under the ROC curve (AUROC) was 0.88 for the diagnosis of any degree of fibrosis (≥F1), whereas it was 0.84, 0.69, and 0.67 for ≥F2, ≥F3, and ≥F4, respectively. Ultrasound Nakagami imaging is a model-based ASQ technique that can be beneficial for the clinical diagnosis of early liver fibrosis.
Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Po-Hsiang
PH
Tsui
Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Ming-Chih
MC
Ho
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Dar-In
DI
Tai
Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Ying-Hsiu
YH
Lin
Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Chiao-Yin
CY
Wang
Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Hsiang-Yang
HY
Ma
D000162:Acoustics; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000473:pathology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult