Evaluating shear wave elastography as a predictor of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy outcomes in children

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the utility of Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) in predicting the success of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in pediatric patients. A total of 102 patients < 18 years of age with a diagnosis of kidney stones underwent ESWL between May 2021 and December 2023. SWE measurements of the stones were performed in all patients prior to ESWL. The subjects were divided into two groups: those who responded to ESWL and those who did not. Age, gender, stone location, stone size, body mass index (BMI), Hounsfield Unit (HU), and stone SWE values were compared between the groups. Among the 102 patients included in the study, 78 exhibited a positive response to ESWL. In the responder group, the SWE, HU, and stone size values were significantly lower than the non-responder group (p < 0.05). SWE exhibited significant efficacy in discriminating between responders and non-responders [area under the curve (AUC): 0.979 & p = 0.000]. A SWE cutoff value of 13.70 kPa was identified for patient differentiation [AUC:0.929 & p = 0.000]. SWE appears to be an effective method for predicting the success of ESWL in pediatric patients and may serve as an alternative parameter to HU for pre-treatment evaluation.