Validating the Baveno Elastography Criteria of Advanced Liver Fibrosis in Two-Dimensional Shear Wave Elastography: A Prospective Pathology-Based Study

Abstract

Introduction: The Baveno criteria for assessing advanced liver fibrosis were mainly determined by transient elastography (TE), and its pathology-based validation studies in two-dimensional shear-wave elastography (2D-SWE) remain limited. We aimed to validate the Baveno criteria through use of 2D-SWE. Method: Consecutive patients who underwent liver biopsies for various benign liver diseases were prospectively recruited. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was simultaneously evaluated by TE and 2D-SWE. The optimal cut-off value to predict advanced liver fibrosis was determined by the Youden Index, and the diagnostic performance was estimated using area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) analysis. Results: A total of 101 patients were enrolled having a median age of 55.0 (IQR: 46.0-63.5) years, with 53 (52.48%) of them being male. Using <9 and >14 kPa as the optimal dual cut-offs, the AUROC values in TE and 2D-SWE were 0.92 (95% CI: 0.83-0.97) and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.84-0.98), respectively (P= 0.61). The sensitivity and specificity of LSM by TE/2D-SWE achieved rates of 94.44%/94.44% and 86.00%/88.00%, respectively. However, using the Baveno criteria, the AUROC values in TE and 2D-SWE could remain achieving 0.91 (95% CI: 0.82-0.97) and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.84-0.98), respectively (P= 0.36). The sensitivity and specificity in TE/2D-SWE were 88.24%/88.24% and 86.79%/90.57%, respectively. Conclusion: This study establishes the compatibility of the Baveno dual cut-off criteria with 2D-SWE, positioning it as an easily used criteria in clinical practice and research.