Shear-wave elastography for interventional monitoring of pediatric Budd-Chiari syndrome

Leesburg, VA, October 1, 2021—According to ARRS’ American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR), liver stiffness measurements (LSM) obtained by 2D shear-wave elastography (SWE) may serve as a useful quantitative adjunct to Color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) in monitoring children with chronic Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) for disease recurrence after percutaneous interventional treatment.

“LSM decreased significantly after image-guided intervention for chronic BCS in children, showing a maximal decrease at 24 hours post-intervention,” wrote corresponding author Sanjay Sharma from the department of radiodiagnosis and interventional radiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. “Disease recurrence was typically associated with an increase in LSM, compared with the patient’s prior measurement.”

Sharma and team’s prospective study included children with chronic BCS and planned image-guided intervention. CDUS and 2D SWE were performed at baseline; at 24 hours, one month, and three months after intervention; and thereafter every three months or at the time of clinically suspected recurrence.

In the 32 children (28 boys, 4 girls; mean age, 9.0 years) who underwent image-guided intervention for chronic BCS, median LSM was 43.7 kPa at baseline and 22.5 kPa, 18.7 kPa, and 16.7 kPa at 24 hours, one month, and three months, respectively, after intervention. In eight of nine patients with recurrence, LSM was increased, compared with the pre-recurrence measurement.

“The stage of histologic liver fibrosis was not significantly correlated with LSM at any time point, possibly due to the confounding effect of liver congestion,” added the authors of this AJR article.

Founded in 1900, the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) is the first and oldest radiological society in North America, dedicated to the advancement of medicine through the profession of radiology and its allied sciences. An international forum for progress in medical imaging since the discovery of the x-ray, ARRS maintains its mission of improving health through a community committed to advancing knowledge and skills with an annual scientific meeting, monthly publication of the peer-reviewed American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR), quarterly issues of InPractice magazine, AJR Live Webinars and Podcasts, topical symposia, print and online educational materials, as well as awarding scholarships via The Roentgen Fund®.

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