Shear wave elastography: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

Shear wave elastography is a novel noninvasive technique that involves application of local mechanical compression on soft tissue while using shear waves to assess tissue stiffness and acquiring strain images that show the tissue response. The objective of this review is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of shear wave elastography. Searches were conducted of eight Korean databases including KoreaMed, National library of Korea, National Assembly Library, Korean Library Information System Network, Research Information Sharing Service, Koreanstudies Information Service System, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, Medical Digital Library Information System, Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. From these sources, 1,604 articles were located, and total of 10 studies were included for this review. On the basis of current data, we conclude that shear wave elastography is a safe and effective tool for detecting lesions and monitoring disease severity in patients.