DeJong Helen M, Abbott Steven, Zelesco Marilyn, Kennedy Brendan F, Ziman Mel R, Wood Fiona M
Perth Scar and Pain ClinicMount Pleasant, Western Australia, 6153, Australia.
School of Medical and Health Science, Edith Cowan UniversityJoondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia.
Int J Burns Trauma. 2017 Dec 20;7(7):124-141. eCollection 2017.
Ultrasound elastography is an imaging technology which can objectively and non-invasively assess tissue stiffness. It is emerging as a useful marker for disease diagnosis, progression and treatment efficacy.
To examine current, published research evaluating the use of ultrasound elastography for the measurement of cutaneous or subcutaneous stiffness and to determine the level of validity and reliability, recommended methodologies and limitations.
MEDLINE, Web of science and Scopus were systematically searched in August 2016 to identify original articles evaluating the use of ultrasound elastography to assess cutaneous stiffness. Relevant studies were then quality evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies v 2 (QUADAS-2) tool and the Quality Appraisal of Reliability Studies (QAREL).
From a total of 688 articles, 14 met the inclusion criteria for full review. Within the 14 studies, elastography was used to evaluate tumors, systemic sclerosis, lymphedema, abscess, and post-radiation neck fibrosis. Only three robust studies demonstrated good interrater reliability, whereas all validity studies had low sample sizes and demonstrated risks of bias.
Robust evidence supporting the use of ultrasound elastography as a diagnostic tool in cutaneous conditions is low, however, initial indicators support further research to establish the utility of ultrasound elastography in dermatology.
超声弹性成像技术是一种能够客观、无创地评估组织硬度的成像技术。它正逐渐成为疾病诊断、病情进展及治疗效果评估的一项有用指标。
探讨当前已发表的有关评估超声弹性成像技术用于测量皮肤或皮下组织硬度的研究，确定其有效性和可靠性水平、推荐的方法及局限性。
2016年8月系统检索了MEDLINE、科学网和Scopus数据库，以识别评估超声弹性成像技术用于评估皮肤硬度的原始文章。然后使用诊断准确性研究质量评估工具2（QUADAS - 2）和可靠性研究质量评估工具（QAREL）对相关研究进行质量评估。
在总共688篇文章中，有14篇符合全面综述的纳入标准。在这14项研究中，弹性成像技术用于评估肿瘤、系统性硬化症、淋巴水肿、脓肿及放疗后颈部纤维化。只有三项严格的研究显示出良好的观察者间可靠性，而所有有效性研究的样本量都较小且存在偏倚风险。
支持将超声弹性成像技术作为皮肤疾病诊断工具的有力证据较少，然而，初步指标支持进一步研究以确定超声弹性成像技术在皮肤科的应用价值。
