Non-invasive measurement of liver and pancreas fibrosis in patients with cystic fibrosis

Background: Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have a relevant morbidity and mortality caused by CF-related liver-disease. While transient elastography (TB) is an established elastography method in hepatology centers, Acoustic-Radiation-Force-Impulse (ARFI)-Imaging is a novel ultrasound-based elastography method which is integrated in a conventional ultrasound-system. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of liver-fibrosis in patients with CF using TB, ARFI-imaging and fibrosis blood tests. Methods: 106 patients with CF were prospectively included in the present study and received ARFI-imaging of the left and right liver-lobe, ARFI of the pancreas TE of the liver and laboratory evaluation. Results: The prevalence of liver-fibrosis according to recently published best practice guidelines for CFLD was 22.6%. Prevalence of significant liver-fibrosis assessed by TE, ARFI-right-liver-lobe, ARFI-left-liver-lobe, Fibrotest, Fibrotest-corrected-by-haptoglobin was 17%, 24%, 40%, 7%, and 16%, respectively. The best agreement was found for TE, ARFI-right-liver-lobe and Fibrotest-corrected-by-haptoglobin. Patients with pancreatic-insufficiency had significantly lower pancreas-ARFI-values as compared to patients without. Conclusions: ARFI-imaging and TB seem to be promising non-invasive methods for detection of liver-fibrosis in patients with CF. (C) 2013 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.