Role of dynamic quantitative evaluation in liver transplantation by ultrasonic elastography / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the role of combinational elastography in the dynamic quantitative evaluation of liver transplantation.Methods:From April to December 2019 in Tianjin First Central Hospital, 27 cases of the liver transplant patients and donors were examined by shear wave elastography and real-time tissue elastography, respectively on donor preoperative within 24 h and postoperative day 1, day 7, in order to obtain liver elastic modulus E, measured average relative strain value (MEAN), the index activity (A) and acoustic attenuation measurement (ATT), and to obtain pathologic specimens during operation, including hydropic degeneration, inflammation, necrosis, steatosis. AST, ALT, TB, DB were detected by automatic biochemistry analyzeron postoperative day 1, day 7. Correlation analysis was performed for pathological parameters and ultrasonic parameters, E, MEAN, A, ATT were selected to plot ROC curve, to analyze ultrasonic parameters′ cut-off value and area under the curve(AUC). According to the pathological signs donor liver were divided into no or mildhydropic group and moderate-to-severehydropic group, non-inflammation group and inflammation group, non-steatosis group and steatosis group. Ultrasonic parameters of donor liver were compared between the two groups, and differences in liver function and ultrasonic parameters on postoperative day 7 were analyzed between the two groups. The change trends of ultrasonic parameters were analyzed from preoperative donor liver to postoperative day 1, day 7 of recipient. The changes of liver function were analyzed from the first day to 7th days. Correlation analysis was performed for liver function and ultrasonic parameters respectively on postoperative day 1, day 7.Results:①Correlation of the ultrasonic parameters of donor liver preoperative within 24 h and pathological parameters E value and hydropic degeneration and inflammation of pathological signs were significantly and positively correlated( rs=0.597, 0.497; all P<0.05); MEAN and hydropic degeneration and inflammation of pathological signs were significantly and negatively correlated( rs=-0.601, -0.584; all P<0.05); A and inflammation of pathological signs was significantly and positively correlated( rs=0.452, P=0.016); ATT and steatosis of pathological signs was significantly and positively correlated ( rs=0.564, P=0.006). ②The differences of ultrasonic parameters of donor liver preoperative within 24h E value of moderate-to-severehydropic group was significantly higher than that of the no or mild hydropicgroup ( P<0.001), MEAN value of moderate-to-severehydropic group was significantly lower than that of the no or mildhydropicgroup( P<0.001). E value of inflammation group was higher than that of non-inflammation group ( P=0.012), MEAN value of inflammation group was lower than that of non-inflammation group ( P=0.026). ATT of steatosis group was higher than that of non-steatosis group ( P=0.006). ③The ROC curve indicated that AUCs of E and MEAN diagnosing hydropic degeneration were 0.882, 0.875, and the critical value were respectively 8.72 kPa, 106.62; the AUC of diagnosing inflammation was 0.898, the critical values was 1.26; the AUC of diagnosing steatosis liver was 0.868, the critical value was 0.515 dB·cm -1·MHz -1. ④There were no statistically significant differences in liver function and ultrasonic parameters on postoperative day 7 between no or mildhydropic group and moderate-to-severehydropic group(all P>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in liver function and ultrasonic parameters on postoperative day 7 between non-inflammation group and inflammation group(all P>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in liver function and ultrasonic parameters on postoperative day 7 between non-steatosis and steatosis group (all P>0.05). ⑤E and A values of postoperative day 1 were higher than those of preoperative donor liver and postoperative day 7(all P<0.05), MEAN value of postoperative day 1 was lower than those of preoperative donor liver and postoperative day 7(all P<0.05). ATT of postoperative day 1 was lower than that of preoperative donor liver( P=0.027). ⑥ALT, AST, TB, DB of postoperative day 7 were lower than that of postoperative day 1, the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). ⑦On postoperative day 1 E value and ALT, AST, TB, DB were significantly and positively correlated( r=0.641, 0.673, 0.601, 0.575; all P<0.05); MEAN value and ALT, AST were significantly and negatively correlated( r=-0.690, -0.703; all P<0.001); A value and ALT, AST were significantly and positively correlated( r=0.459, 0.442; all P<0.05). On postoperative day 7 E value and ALT, AST, TB, DB were significantly and positively correlated ( r=0.616, 0.729, 0.505, 0.640; all P<0.05); MEAN value and ALT, AST were significantly and negatively correlated( r=-0.602, -0.585; all P<0.05); A value and ALT, AST were significantly and positively correlated( r=0.411, 0.495; all P<0.05). Conclusions:Combinational elastography can dynamically and quantitatively assess the hardness, inflammation, steatosis of liver transplantation, and ultrasonic parameters correlate significantly with pathological and liver function, and provides a certain imaging basis for clinical evaluation of liver quality.