Comparative Study of Shear Wave Elastography in Liver Disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Comparative study of shear wave elastography systems on two ultrasound units in patients with known or suspected liver disease
IRAS ID
185387
Contact name
Pamela Parker
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 30 days
Research summary
Shear wave elastography is a function generated by diagnostic ultrasound machines. It is used to evaluate the stiffness of an organ. In patients with suspected liver disease there is strong evidence that sheer wave elastography can be used to assess the presence and degree of fibrosis within the liver.
Sheer wave elastography is being used in preference to performing liver biopsies in this patient population. The sheer wave is generated by the ultrasound wave. An ultrasound pulse is produced and the machine can calculate the speed of this within the organ. The technology within the scan unit allows investigators to measure the virtual stiffness of the liver. Previous research has shown that the faster the speed the stiffer the organ.
NICE guidance recently published in 2015 advocates the use of sheer wave elastography in liver disease. In this institution the use of elastography has grown in response to an increased number of patients presenting with suspected liver disease.
Up until late 2014 only one ultrasound manufacturer had the appropriate technology on the market for sheer wave elastography. Since then a second manufacturer has launched a product that has the same technology. However, in this institution all the experience and previous data has been collected using the original manufacturer. This study is designed to compare the results of Sheer wave elastography between the two manufacturers. The aim of the study is to determine if there are any significant differences in results of sheer wave readings between the two manufactures of these systems.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/EM/0479
Date of REC Opinion
21 Oct 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion