The Value Of Shear Wave Elastography In The Differential Diagnosis Of Hepatic Alveolar Echinococcosis And Liver Cancer

PURPOSE:To study the ability of shear wave elastography(SWE)to measure the elastic characteristics of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis(HAE)and liver cancer lesions,and to explore the clinical value of SWE in differentiating HAE and liver cancer.METHODS:Overall,From May 2018 to December 2019,23 patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis(HAE group),42 with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC group),13 with metastatic liver cancer(MLC group),and 8 with cholangiocarcinoma(CCC group)were evaluated with conventional two-dimensional ultrasound and SWE preoperatively.The mean Young’s module,which measure stiffness,were obtained for each lesion type,and the pathological results were used as the gold standard to evaluate the efficacy and accuracy of SWE in differentiating HAE and liver cancer.RESULTS :(1)The mean Young’s modulus is 37.65±10.53,21.33±2.88,16.31±2.20,and 43.41±5.29 Kpa in the HAE,HCC,MLC,and CCC groups,respectively.The Young’s modules are different between the groups(p < 0.05),except between the HAE and CCC groups(p > 0.05).(2)The receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrated that the diagnostic cutoff value of the mean Young’s modulus between HAE and liver cancer was 25.96 Kpa,with a sensitivity of 87.00%,a specificity of 94.50%,and an area under the curve of 95.60%.CONCLUSION:HAE and liver cancer lesions can be differentiated by the Young’s modulus obtained using SWE.This new technology offers clinical data for differentiating between liver diseases.