Use of ultrasonic transient elastography (Fibroscan) in the assessment of hepatic focal lesion stiffness

Mohamed Yousef, Aisha Elsharkawy, Mohammad El Beshlawy, Gamal Esmat, Zakaria Salama

Department of Endemic Medicine and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.

DOI: 10.4236/ojgas.2013.32018                

Abstract

Background and Aim: Hepatic focal lesions differ in their tissue composition and in the degree of stiffness, so our aim was to evaluate the role of Ultrasonic Transient Elastography (Fibroscan) in the measurement of hepatic focal lesions stiffness in order to differentiate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) focal lesions from other non HCC focal lesions. Methods: The study was conducted on 34 patients with hepatic focal lesion(s) in the right lobe located near the liver surface and more than or equal4 cmin diameter, detected by imaging studies and diagnosed by CT and histopathology. Stiffness over the focal lesions was measured by the fibroscan. Results: The median value of stiffness was 72.5 kPa over HCC focal lesions, 17.2 kPa over lymphoma focal lesions, 6.5 kPa over metastatic focal lesions and 10.5 kPa over the sarcoidosis focal lesion. Conclusions: Hepatocellular carcinoma focal lesions are much stiffer than lymphoma, metastasis or sarcoidosis focal lesions. Fibroscan may be a useful non-invasive method in the prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma in the future.

Keywords

Hepatic Focal Lesions; Hepatocellular Carcinoma; Fibroscan; Stiffness

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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