title: Evolving strategies for liver fibrosis staging: Non-invasive assessment.
abstract: Transient elastography and the acoustic radiation force impulse techniques may play a pivotal role in the study of liver fibrosis. Some studies have shown that elastography can detect both the progression and regression of fibrosis. Similarly, research results have been analysed and direct and indirect serum markers of hepatic fibrosis have shown high diagnostic accuracy for advanced fibrosis/cirrhosis. The prognosis of different stages of cirrhosis is well established and various staging systems have been proposed, largely based on clinical data. However, it is still unknown if either non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis or elastography may contribute to a more accurate staging of liver cirrhosis, in terms of prognosis and fibrosis regression after effective therapy. In fact, not enough studies have shown both the fibrosis regression in different cirrhosis stages and the point beyond which the prognosis does not change - even in the event of fibrosis regression. Therefore, future studies are needed to validate non-invasive methods in predicting the different phases of liver cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Cristina Stasi, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stasi
authors.affiliation: Cristina Stasi, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milani
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D018450:Disease Progression; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Chronic liver diseases; Elastography; Non-invasive methods; Non-invasive serum markers; Stiffness