Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
Measurement of Liver Stiffness Using Atomic Force Microscopy Coupled with Polarization Microscopy
Published on: July 20, 2022
Liver stiffness measurement using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography and effect of
Ki Tae Yoon1, Sun Min Lim, Jun Yong Park
1Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.
Background:
Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography can be used to assess the degree of liver fibrosis.
Aim:
We evaluated the performance of ARFI elastography in assessment of liver fibrosis and compared it with the performance of aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) and transient elastography with Fibroscan (FS).
Methods:
We prospectively analyzed 250 consecutive patients who underwent liver biopsy and ARFI from June 2010 to May 2011. Reliable FS values were obtained for 97 (38.8%) patients.
Results:
The mean age of patients (147 male and 103 female) was 46.6 years. Liver stiffness values obtained by use of ARFI elastography significantly correlated with histological fibrosis stage (R = 0.575, P < 0.001). Area under the receiver operating characteristics curves (AUROCs) of ARFI elastography for predicting significant fibrosis (≥F2) and cirrhosis (F4) was 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64-0.86, P = 0.001) and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.67-0.91, P = 0.001), respectively, and those for APRI were 0.69 (95% CI, 0.58-0.79, P = 0.001) and 0.76 (95% CI, 0.64-0.85, P < 0.001), respectively. The optimum cutoff values for ARFI elastography were 1.13 m/s for ≥F2 and 1.98 m/s for F4; these decreased to 1.09 m/s for ≥F2 and 1.81 m/s for F4 when 131 patients with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were selected. In the sub-group of 97 patients with reliable FS values, the performance in predicting ≥F2 or F4 was equivalent between ARFI elastography and FS.
Conclusions:
ARFI elastography is a reliable surrogate marker of liver fibrosis, if its relationship with biochemical markers, for example ALT level, is taken into account.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Ultrasound II: Endoscopic Ultrasound and FibroScan
Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS):
01:25Assessment of the Abdomen I: Inspection and Auscultation
The abdominal examination is a cornerstone of clinical medicine, serving as a critical tool in diagnosing various gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. It involves a systematic approach that includes inspection and auscultation, each with distinct yet complementary roles in assessing the abdomen. This article will delve into these two primary methods healthcare professionals use to examine the abdomen.
Inspection of the Abdomen
The first step in any abdominal examination is inspection.