Ferraioli Giovanna, Roccarina Davide, Barr Richard G
Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
SOD Medicina Interna ed Epatologia, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Firenze, Italy.
AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2025 Jun;224(6):e2532746. doi: 10.2214/AJR.25.32746. Epub 2025 Jun 25.
. Clinical adoption of ultrasound attenuation coefficient (AC) measurements has been hindered by lack of a uniform measurement protocol and a range of factors that may cause variability. . The purpose of this study was to evaluate associations of ROI depth, ROI size, and confidence map threshold with interobserver agreement and diagnostic performance of ultrasound AC measurements in detecting and grading hepatic steatosis using MRI proton density fat fraction (PDFF) as the reference standard. . This prospective study enrolled adults with known steatosis or at risk for steatosis from October 2023 to August 2024. One of two operators obtained videos of AC acquisitions using a single ultrasound unit. Both operators independently reviewed all videos and placed circular ROIs to obtain AC measurements for all 24 possible combinations of four ROI depths (2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 4.0 cm from liver capsule to ROI outer edge), three ROI sizes (3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 cm), and two confidence map thresholds (20% and 40%). Participants underwent MRI PDFF measurement as a reference. . The analysis included 101 participants (mean age, 54.5 ± 12.1 [SD] years; 62 women, 39 men). Interoperator agreement was excellent for all combinations (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.92-0.98). AC measurements showed strongest correlations (Spearman rank correlation coefficient, 0.81 and 0.80 for operators 1 and 2, respectively) with MRI PDFF at an ROI depth of 4.0 cm. The optimal combination considering correlations with MRI PDFF and AUC across steatosis grades included a depth of 4.0 cm, size of 4.0 cm, and threshold of 40%. This combination had an AUC for detecting steatosis with grade of greater than 0, greater than 1, and greater than 2 for operator 1 of 0.93, 0.88, and 0.81, respectively, and for operator 2 of 0.92, 0.86, and 0.81, respectively. However, accuracy for detecting steatosis (grade > 0) was highest for the combination of depth of 3.0 cm, size of 4.0 cm, and threshold of 40% (operator 1, 90.1%; operator 2, 82.2%). . AC measurements showed excellent interoperator agreement across parameter combinations. Correlations with MRI PDFF were strongest at a depth of 4.0 cm. Combinations yielding highest diagnostic performance were identified. . These results will help determine a standardized optimal protocol for ultrasound AC measurements, facilitating clinical adoption for liver fat quantification.
. 缺乏统一的测量方案以及一系列可能导致变异性的因素阻碍了超声衰减系数(AC)测量在临床中的应用。. 本研究的目的是评估感兴趣区域(ROI)深度、ROI大小和置信度图阈值与观察者间一致性以及超声AC测量在以MRI质子密度脂肪分数(PDFF)作为参考标准检测和分级肝脂肪变性中的诊断性能之间的关联。. 这项前瞻性研究纳入了2023年10月至2024年8月已知患有脂肪变性或有脂肪变性风险的成年人。两名操作人员中的一名使用单个超声设备获取AC采集的视频。两名操作人员独立审查所有视频,并放置圆形ROI以获取四个ROI深度(从肝包膜到ROI外边缘分别为2.0、2.5、3.0和4.0 cm)、三个ROI大小(3.0、3.5和4.0 cm)以及两个置信度图阈值(20%和40%)的所有24种可能组合的AC测量值。参与者接受MRI PDFF测量作为参考。. 分析包括101名参与者(平均年龄,54.5±12.1[标准差]岁;62名女性,39名男性)。所有组合的观察者间一致性都非常好(组内相关系数,0.92 - 0.98)。在ROI深度为4.0 cm时,AC测量值与MRI PDFF的相关性最强(Spearman等级相关系数,操作人员1和2分别为0.81和0.80)。考虑到与MRI PDFF的相关性以及不同脂肪变性等级的曲线下面积(AUC),最佳组合包括深度4.0 cm、大小4.0 cm和阈值40%。对于操作人员1,该组合检测脂肪变性等级大于0、大于1和大于2的AUC分别为0.93、0.88和0.81,对于操作人员2分别为0.92、0.86和0.81。然而,对于深度3.0 cm、大小4.0 cm和阈值40%的组合,检测脂肪变性(等级>0)的准确性最高(操作人员1为90.1%;操作人员2为82.2%)。. AC测量在所有参数组合中均显示出极好的观察者间一致性。在深度4.0 cm时与MRI PDFF的相关性最强。确定了具有最高诊断性能的组合。. 这些结果将有助于确定超声AC测量的标准化最佳方案,促进肝脏脂肪定量的临床应用。