EFSUMB Guidelines and Recommendations on the Clinical Use of Ultrasound Elastography. Part 1: Basic Principles and Technology

Abstract

The technical part of these Guidelines and Recommendations, produced under the auspices of EFSUMB, provides an introduction to the physical principles and technology on which all forms of current commercially available ultrasound elastography are based. A difference in shear modulus is the common underlying physical mechanism that provides tissue contrast in all elastograms. The relationship between the alternative technologies is considered in terms of the method used to take advantage of this. The practical advantages and disadvantages associated with each of the techniques are described, and guidance is provided on optimisation of scanning technique, image display, image interpretation and some of the known image artefacts.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

“…Elastography-enabled scanners use ultrasound to track shear waves generated transiently in situ within the liver by an ultrasound push pulse (also known as an acoustic radiation force impulse); measurement locations are recorded on an anatomical image 157,159,160 (Figure 5b). Because each manufacturer uses proprietary hardware and software, measurements made with different devices and even with different transducers (probes) on the same device do not agree 160,161 .…”

Evaluation of Strain Elastography for Differentiation of Thyroid Nodules: Results of a Prospective DEGUM Multicenter Study

“…With the introduction of strain elastography (SE), a reproducible qualitative and semi-quantitative assessment of tissue consistency became available. Most US companies now offer elastography as an additional tool integrated in conventional high-end US machines [14,15]. Meta-analyses of SE reported mean sensitivities of 82 -92 % and mean specificities of 67 -92 % for the diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules [16 -18].…”

Sonoelastography of the Common Flexor Tendon of the Elbow with Histologic Agreement: A Cadaveric Study

“…However, when compared with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, US showed lower sensitivity, while specificity was similar (2). In the past few years, compression sonoelastography, an imaging technique that is capable of depicting elastic properties of anatomic structures and possible pathologic tissue alterations, has been used in musculoskeletal imaging (3). In patients with Achilles tendinopathy, sonoelastography was able to show more affected tendons than was Bmode US when compared with histologic results as the reference standard for diagnosis (4).…”