An intra- and interobserver correlation of shear wave elastography in a phantom model

This poster is published under an open license. Please read the disclaimer for further details.

Congress:

ECR 2015

Poster Number:

C-2156

Type:

Scientific Exhibit

Keywords:

Liver, Ultrasound, Comparative studies, Education and training

Authors:

A. Popescu, O. Gradinaru Tascau, I. Sporea, R. Sirli, M. Danila, M. Popescu, T. V. Moga, F. B. Bende, S. Bota; Timisoara/RO

DOI:

10.1594/ecr2015/C-2156

DOI-Link:

https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/ecr2015/C-2156

Fig. 1: ARFI measurement in a phantom mass

Fig. 2: 2D SWE measurement in a relatively hard phantom mass

Fig. 3: 2D SWE measurement in a relatively soft phantom mass

Aims and objectives

The evaluation of liver stiffness (LS) is essential in patients with chronic hepatopathies, therefore a non-invasive, risk-free method well accepted by patient is crucial. The ‘gold standard’ method for the evaluation of LS is liver biopsy, an invasive method which can cause serious complications [1]. A new era in LS evaluation has begun when liver elastography developed. Many elastographic techniques have emerged into clinical practice and the usefullness of each elastographic method for non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis still needs to be determined. The elastography...

Methods and materials

Three operators with different experience in ultrasound and liver elastography, performed sessions of four consecutive elastographic measurements in four masses, using 2D-SWE (AixplorerTM ultrasound system, SuperSonic Imagine S.A., Aix-en-Provence, France) and ARFI (Siemens Acuson S2000 TM ultrasound system, Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany) on a phantom model, which contains targets of known stiffness (Multi-purpose, Multi-Tissue Ultrasound Phantom Model 049A GSE, CIRS, USA). The elastography ultrasound phantom contains 8 masses with varying B-mode ultrasound and viscoelastic properties (lesions with varying Young’s Modulus levels), 4 (the larger ones)...

Results

A good interobserver agreement was obtained for 2D-SWE: operator 1 vs operator 2 (ICC=0.89), operator 1 vs 3 (ICC=0.88) and operator 2 vs 3 (ICC=0.97), respectively. Intraobserver reproducibility showed a very good agreement between the measurements for 2D- SWE; ICCs were 0.84, 0.98 and 0.98 for operators 1, 2 and 3, respectively. For ARFI, a good interobserver agreement was obtained: operator 1 vs operator 2 (ICC=0.88), operator 1 vs 3 (ICC=0.65) and operator 2 vs 3 (ICC=0.65), respectively. The intraobserver reproducibility showed a very good...

Conclusion

2D-SWE and ARFI are elastographic techniques with a good intraobserver reproducibility and demonstrate a minimal variability across operators, especially for 2D-SWE.

Personal information

References

1. Rockey DC, Caldwell SH, Goodman ZD, Nelson RC, Smith AD. American association for the study of liver diseases. Liver biopsy. Hepatology 2009;49(3):1017–44.