Correlation of virtual touch tissue quantification and liver biopsy in a rat liver fibrosis model

Liver fibrosis assessment is very important to the treatment of chronic liver disease. In the present study, Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification (VTQ) and eSie Touch™ elasticity imaging techniques were used to examine the rat liver fibrosis model. Rat liver fibrosis was induced with thioacetamide and the degree of liver fibrosis was determined using pathological diagnosis as a gold standard. The right lobe of the liver was also examined with the VTQ and eSie Touch™ techniques. The VTQ and serological results were correlated and analyzed. The results were compared with those obtained from liver biopsies to investigate the accuracy and diagnostic value of eSie Touch™ and VTQ on the classification of liver fibrosis in rats. A total of 30 successful modeling cases were obtained, with a success rate of 86%. The mean acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography‑VTQ values were 1.08, 1.51, 1.88 and 2.50 m/sec for the normal and F1/F2, F3 and F4 fibrosis groups, respectively. A significant correlation (r = 0.969) was identified between the ARFI measurements and the degree of fibrosis assessed by pathological examination (P<0.001). The histological staging results correlated with those of the eSie Touch™ elasticity imaging of the biopsy site (r = 0.913, P<0.001). The predictive values of ARFI for various stages of fibrosis were as follows: F≥1 and 2 ‑ cut‑off >1.250 m/sec (when Vs >1.250 m/sec, the pathological grading was ≥F1/F2) [Area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) = 1.00], F≥3 ‑ cut‑off >1.685 m/sec (when Vs >1.685 m/sec, the pathological grading was ≥F3; AUROC = 1.00) and F≥4 ‑ cut‑off >2.166 m/sec (when Vs >2.166 m/sec, the pathological grading is cirrhosis; AUROC = 1.00). In conclusion, the eSie Touch™ elasticity imaging and VTQ techniques may be successfully adopted to assess the extent of liver stiffness. These techniques are expected to replace liver biopsy.