Sun Pei-Xuan, Tong Yu-Yang, Shi Jing, Zhang Huan, Liu Shi-Jian, Du Jun
Diagnostic Imaging Center, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China.
Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
World J Clin Cases. 2019 Nov 6;7(21):3463-3473. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v7.i21.3463.
Several studies have demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of using ultrasound elastography to assess liver tissue stiffness. Virtual touch imaging quantification (VTIQ) based on acoustic radiation force impulse imaging has been developed as a latest and noninvasive method for assessing liver stiffness in children.
To determine the standard value in healthy children, and to identify possible factors that might influence the VTIQ measurement.
With the ethical approval, 202 children between 1 month and 15 years old were included in this study. None of them had any liver or systematic diseases. All children had a normal ultrasound scan and normal body mass index (BMI) range. The subjects were divided into four age and BMI groups. The effects of gender, age, liver lobe, measurement depth, and BMI on liver elasticity were investigated.
A significant correlation was found between age and shear wave velocity (SWV) value. At measurement depths of 1.5 cm and 2.0 cm in the left lobe, there were significant differences among the age groups. SWV values were significantly negatively correlated with the measurement depth. Gender, liver lobe, and BMI showed no significant effect on the SWV values. Age and BMI may influence the quality of the elastogram.
VTIQ is a noninvasive technique that is feasible to measure liver stiffness in children. The afore-mentioned velocity value obtained utilizing VTIQ method could be used as reference value for normal liver stiffness in children.
多项研究已证明使用超声弹性成像评估肝组织硬度的可行性和有效性。基于声辐射力脉冲成像的虚拟触诊成像定量（VTIQ）已发展成为一种评估儿童肝脏硬度的最新非侵入性方法。
确定健康儿童的标准值，并识别可能影响VTIQ测量的因素。
经伦理批准，本研究纳入了202名年龄在1个月至15岁之间的儿童。他们均无任何肝脏或系统性疾病。所有儿童的超声扫描结果均正常，且体重指数（BMI）在正常范围内。将受试者分为四个年龄和BMI组。研究了性别、年龄、肝叶、测量深度和BMI对肝脏弹性的影响。
发现年龄与剪切波速度（SWV）值之间存在显著相关性。在左叶1.5 cm和2.0 cm的测量深度处，各年龄组之间存在显著差异。SWV值与测量深度显著负相关。性别、肝叶和BMI对SWV值无显著影响。年龄和BMI可能会影响弹性图的质量。
VTIQ是一种非侵入性技术，可用于测量儿童肝脏硬度。利用VTIQ方法获得的上述速度值可作为儿童正常肝脏硬度的参考值。
