Elsevier

Journal of Cystic Fibrosis

Volume 12, Issue 5, September 2013, Pages 431-439
Journal of Cystic Fibrosis

Original Article
Non-invasive measurement of liver and pancreas fibrosis in patients with cystic fibrosis,☆☆

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcf.2012.12.013Get rights and content
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Abstract

Background

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have a relevant morbidity and mortality caused by CF-related liver-disease. While transient elastography (TE) is an established elastography method in hepatology centers, Acoustic-Radiation-Force-Impulse (ARFI)-Imaging is a novel ultrasound-based elastography method which is integrated in a conventional ultrasound-system. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of liver-fibrosis in patients with CF using TE, ARFI-imaging and fibrosis blood tests.

Methods

106 patients with CF were prospectively included in the present study and received ARFI-imaging of the left and right liver-lobe, ARFI of the pancreas TE of the liver and laboratory evaluation.

Results

The prevalence of liver-fibrosis according to recently published best practice guidelines for CFLD was 22.6%. Prevalence of significant liver-fibrosis assessed by TE, ARFI-right-liver-lobe, ARFI-left-liver-lobe, Fibrotest, Fibrotest-corrected-by-haptoglobin was 17%, 24%, 40%, 7%, and 16%, respectively. The best agreement was found for TE, ARFI-right-liver-lobe and Fibrotest-corrected-by-haptoglobin. Patients with pancreatic-insufficiency had significantly lower pancreas-ARFI-values as compared to patients without.

Conclusions

ARFI-imaging and TE seem to be promising non-invasive methods for detection of liver-fibrosis in patients with CF.

Keywords

ARFI
Liver stiffness
CF
Mucoviscidosis
Cirrhosis

Cited by (0)

All authors have participated in the study concept and design; acquisition of data; analysis and interpretation of data, and critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content; in addition the authors Schlueter, Friedrich-Rust and Herrmann have performed the drafting of the manuscript and statistical analysis.

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Financial support — none received; no conflict of interest or disclaimers exists for any author.