Linking elastographic evaluation benign and malignant liver lesion with histopathological data.

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Medical Imaging
• Diagnostic Ultrasound

Background:

• Differentiating benign from malignant focal liver lesions is challenging with conventional imaging.
• Non-invasive methods are needed to assess tissue stiffness and improve diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) elastography in differentiating focal liver lesions.
• To compare ARFI elastography findings with histopathology in a cohort of patients.

Main Methods:

• Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) elastography was performed on 124 patients with focal liver lesions.
• Shear wave velocity (SWV) was measured and compared between benign and malignant lesions.
• Histopathology served as the gold standard for diagnosis.

Main Results:

• Malignant liver lesions exhibited significantly higher SWV values compared to benign lesions.
• A cutoff SWV of 1.96 m/s demonstrated excellent sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy.
• ARFI elastography showed superior performance in differentiating lesion types.

Conclusions:

• ARFI elastography is a reliable, non-invasive tool for distinguishing benign from malignant focal liver lesions.
• It serves as a valuable adjunct to conventional ultrasound, enhancing diagnostic capabilities.
• This technique offers improved accuracy in liver lesion characterization.