Interobserver Reproducibility of Ultrasound Attenuation Imaging Technology in Liver Fat Quantification

This study aims to investigate the interobserver variability in the quantitative assessment of liver fat content using ultrasound attenuation imaging technology (USAT).

This prospective, single-center study included 96 adult patients who were either diagnosed with or suspected of having metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Independent observers, blinded to each other's assessments, evaluated hepatic steatosis visually and through USAT measurements. Separate measurements were taken at five intercostal and subcostal sites, and the median values of these measurements were recorded. The correlation between USAT measurements and visual steatosis grades was examined using Spearman's correlation test. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis were used to evaluate the interobserver variability of USAT measurements.

Interobserver agreement for USAT measurements was excellent for the intercostal examination and good for the subcostal examination (p < 0.001). Body mass index did not significantly affect the level of interobserver agreement. Interobserver variability in Bland-Altman plots of USAT measurements was within the 95% limits of agreement. USAT measurements correlated very strongly with the visual degree of hepatic steatosis, both intercostal and subcostal (p < 0.001). USAT measurements were also significantly different between different visual degrees of hepatic steatosis (p < 0.001).

In the assessment of hepatic steatosis, USAT measurements obtained from the intercostal space showed excellent agreement in terms of interobserver reproducibility.