A Noninvasive Method-Shear-Wave Elastography Compared With Transient Elastography in Evaluation of Liver Fibrosis in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B.

The aim of our study was to investigate the efficiency and feasibility of shear-wave elastography (sound touch elastography [STE], sound touch quantification [STQ]) compared with transient elastography (FibroScan) assessment in noninvasively and quantitatively identifying the degree of liver fibrosis. A total of 158 patients with chronic hepatitis B were included, and all accepted STE, STQ, and FibroScan assessments. Young's modulus (kPa) of STE, STQ, and FibroScan were evaluated, and the diagnostic performance of the 3 techniques on liver fibrosis stage was compared. The final diagnosis was based on histological findings from liver biopsy. Of all these patients, 36 patients were categorized as G/S < 2, and 122 were as G/S ≥ 2 according to Scheuer G/S scoring system. STEmean and STQmean measurements were positively correlated with liver fibrosis stage with high correlation (r = 0.852 and r = 0.803, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic analysis of STE, STQ, and FibroScan revealed that the areas under the curve of STE and STQ were markedly increased compared with that of FibroScan when differentiating early stage of liver fibrosis (S1, S2). It was concluded that shear-wave elastography (STE, STQ, and FibroScan) performs well in evaluation of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B, and the efficacies of STE and STQ are better than that of FibroScan.

Analysis of three ultrasound elastography techniques for grading liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of liver fibrosis is important to assess prognosis and guide the treatment for chronic hepatitis B. OBJECTIVE: To analyze and compare transient, point, and two-dimensional (2D) shear wave elastography techniques in grading the liver fibrosis. METHODS: Based on the severity of liver inflammation and fibrosis (Scheuer criteria), 158 patients with chronic hepatitis B were assigned into group 1 (either G or S classification < 2) or group 2 (either G or S classification ≥ 2). Group 2 patients commonly require anti-viral treatment. All patients received transient (FibroScan), point (STQ), and 2D (STE) elastography examinations. Receiver operating characteristic curves were calculated from three elastography techniques in individual or in combination. RESULTS: A total of 158 patients were enrolled into the study, with 39.2% (62) female and mean age of 42.8 (standard deviation 19.1) years old. Transient elastography could not differentiate between group 1 and group 2 patients (P = 0.12), whereas point and 2D elastography examinations could distinguish patients in group 1 from group 2 (P < 0.01 for both STQ and STE). Administration of combined three elastography techniques showed the best diagnostic accuracy (90.1%) for liver fibrosis, which was confirmed with hepatic biopsy examination. CONCLUSION: Point and 2D elastography were superior to transient elastography to detect liver fibrosis and guide clinical anti-viral treatment. Analysis of combined transient, point, and 2D elastography techniques showed the better diagnostic accuracy for liver fibrosis.

MiR-324-5p assists ultrasonography in predicting lymph node metastasis of unifocal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma without extracapsular spread.

Ultrasonography is the first choice of lymph node metastasis (LNM) detection which is crucial for therapeutic options of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). However, the sensitivity of ultrasonography in detecting LNM of PTC is relatively low; especially in central LNM. MiR-324-5p has been reported to play important roles in the metastasis of various cancers. To explore the relationship between miR-324-5p and LNM in PTC, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed in PTC tissue and fine needle aspiration (FNA) washout successively. Its correlation with LNM of PTC was analyzed. The clinicopathological and sonographic factors relating to LNM were also studied. Additionally, the function assay of miR-324-5p in PTC cells was conducted. Current study demonstrated that age was an independent protective factor and multifocality, advanced TNM stage, increased transverse diameter of thyroid nodule, ultrasound suspected LNM were independent risk factors of LNM. MiR-324-5p promoted proliferation, migration and invasion of PTC cell line. MiR-324-5p could serve as a candidate predictor along with ultrasonography in predicting LNM, especially central LNM of unifocal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma without extracapsular spread.

NONHSAT076754 aids ultrasonography in predicting lymph node metastasis and promotes migration and invasion of papillary thyroid cancer cells.

Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is the primary challenge in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Recurrent cancerous lymph nodes require repeated surgeries, which increases the risk for surgical complications. Thus, the evaluation of LNM before surgery is important. Ultrasonography is the most convenient way to examine cervical LNM, but the sensitivity of ultrasonography in the identification of LNM in cases of PTC is extremely low. A series of lncRNAs (long noncoding RNAs) have been reported as candidate biomarkers in a variety of tumors. This study detected the lncRNA NONHSAT076754 in PTC and analyzed the correlation of NONHSAT076754 with the clinicopathological and ultrasonographic characteristics of patients with PTC. The value of NONHSAT076754 as an auxiliary diagnostic biomarker for use along with ultrasonography in the differentiation of LNM in PTC was assessed. Additionally, the biological function of NONHSAT076754 in PTC cells was demonstrated. Our study indicated that NONHSAT076754 promotes migration and invasiveness of PTC and serves as a valuable auxiliary biomarker that can be used along with ultrasonography in the prediction of cervical LNM.