Intra-Observer Reproducibility of Endoscopic Ultrasound Point Shear-Wave Elastography: A 120-Patient Prospective...

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Medical Imaging
• Diagnostic Technologies

Background:

• Endoscopic ultrasound point shear-wave elastography (EUS-pSWE) offers potential for weight-independent liver stiffness measurement.
• Limited data exist on EUS-pSWE reproducibility and quality criteria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the intra-observer reproducibility of EUS-pSWE.
• To assess the short-term variability of EUS-pSWE measurements.
• To compare EUS-pSWE with vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE).

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study of 120 adults undergoing diagnostic EUS.
• 10 consecutive EUS-pSWE measurements per hepatic lobe, grouped into two blocks.
• Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC3,1) assessed reproducibility; VCTE served as comparator.

Main Results:

• Excellent intra-observer reproducibility (left ICC 0.97, right ICC 0.92) was observed when quality criteria (IQR/Median < 30%) were met.
• EUS-pSWE strongly correlated with VCTE (r = 0.81, p < 0.001).
• Low agreement between acquisition runs indicated short-term variability; quality pass rates were modest.

Conclusions:

• EUS-pSWE demonstrates excellent intra-observer reproducibility and strong correlation with VCTE under quality control.
• Short-term variability and feasibility based on conventional quality thresholds require consideration.
• EUS-pSWE is a promising tool for liver stiffness assessment, needing further validation of criteria.