Usefulness of the controlled attenuation parameter for detecting liver steatosis in health checkup examinees

The controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) implemented in FibroScan® is reported to be a noninvasive means of detecting steatosis (>10% steatosis). We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of CAP in detecting steatosis among health checkup examinees and to assess its correlation with ultrasonography (US).

Consecutive CAP results were retrospectively collected. A total of 280 subjects were included.

Fatty liver was detected in 119 subjects (42.5%) by US, whereas it was detected in 160 subjects (57.1%) by the CAP. The numbers of subjects with S0S1S2S3 steatosis according to the CAP value were 120595843, respectively. The mean CAP values were 203.34±28.39 dB/m for S0, 248.83±6.14 dB/m for S1, 274.33±8.53 dB/m for S2, and 322.35±22.20 dB/m for S3. CAP values were correlated with body weight (r=0.404, p<0.001), body mass index (r=0.445, p<0.001), and the fatty liver grade by US (r=0.472, p<0.001). Among the 161 subjects with normal US findings, steatosis was detected in 65 subjects (40.4%) using the CAP.

The CAP seems to be useful for detecting very low-grade hepatic steatosis in health checkup examinees. Its role in predicting subjects with a risk of metabolic derangement needs to be evaluated.