The role of elastography in viral hepatitis and autoimmune hepatitis

The prognosis of chronic liver diseases, which represent a major public health problem, is mainly linked to the extent and progression of liver fibrosis and the subsequent risk of developing cirrhosis and related complications, mainly hepatocellular carcinoma. During the past decade many noninvasive methods and in particular electrographic techniques, have been developed to reduce the need for liver biopsy in staging fibrosis and to overcome whenever possible its limitations, mainly: invasiveness, costs, low reproducibility and poor acceptance by patients. The aim of this review was to provide a comprehensive review of the role of elastography techniques in viral chronic liver diseases and autoimmune hepatitis, with the focus on the possible advantages and limitations of these techniques and on their diagnostic accuracy in predicting the stage of liver fibrosis.