Reproducibility of shear wave velocity measurements by acoustic radiation force impulse imaging of the liver: a study in healthy volunteers

• Published in: Journal of ultrasound in medicine 2011-07, Vol.30 (7), p.975-979
• Main Authors: Guzmán-Aroca, Florentina, Reus, Manuel, Berná-Serna, Juan D, Serrano, Laura, Serrano, Cristina, Gilabert, Amparo, Cepero, Angela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acoustics; Adult; Aged; Body Mass Index; Female; Humans; Liver - diagnostic imaging; Liver Cirrhosis - diagnostic imaging; Liver Function Tests; Male; Middle Aged; Reference Values; Reproducibility of Results; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0278-4297; 1550-9613
• DOI: 10.7863/jum.2011.30.7.975

The purposes of this study were to investigate interobserver reproducibility using acoustic radiation force impulse imaging and to develop an acoustic radiation force impulse scoring system. Fifty healthy volunteers with normal liver function test values were selected for the study. Shear wave velocity measurements, expressed in meters per second, were taken in a deep portion of liver segment 6. Two observers with different levels of experience performed the measurements independently and blindly. All of the measurements taken by the 2 observers were valid, even in volunteers with a body mass index of greater than 28 kg/m(2). The results point to very good interobserver reproducibility of shear wave velocity measurements, with an intraclass coefficient correlation of 0.86 (P < .001). The results of this study show that shear wave velocity measurements using the acoustic radiation force impulse technique and a standardized protocol are accurate and reproducible.