Assessment of hepatic involvement by two-dimensional shear wave elastography in paediatric patients with cystic fibrosis.

Abstract

AIM\nThis study aimed to investigate parenchymal changes in the liver in paediatric patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to analyse diagnostic performance of two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) for the detection of hepatic involvement.\n\n\nMETHODS\nPatients with CF treated and followed at our centre were evaluated prospectively. All patients underwent liver tissue stiffness (TS) measurements by 2D-SWE, in addition to routine clinical assessments, laboratory work-up and abdominal ultrasound imaging. Data from patients with CF were compared with healthy control subjects.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThis study included 39 patients with CF and 37 healthy controls. Patients had a mean body weight of 29.9 (16.6-55) kg, mean age of 9 (5-17) years, mean height of 130 (107-172) cm and a mean body mass index of 16.1 (12.8-21.4) kg/m2 . Average SWE values of the liver were 1.02 (0.70-1.60) m/s in patients with CF (n\xa0=\xa039) and 0.89 (0.60-1.35) m/s in healthy controls (n\xa0=\xa037). Cystic fibrosis patients had significantly increased tissue stifness by liver elastography compared to controls (P\xa0=\xa00.005).\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nParenchymal liver changes may occur early in cystic fibrosis, which cannot be detected by conventional ultrasonography but may be demonstrated by 2D-SWE. Based on this cross-sectional study, 2D-SWE may be a promising, simple and non-invasive modality for objective monitoring of patients with cystic fibrosis who require lifelong follow-up, by providing numerical data for tissue stiffness early in the disease.