Influence of Liver Inflammation on Liver Stiffness Measurement in Patients with Autoimmune Hepatitis Evaluation by Combinational Elastography

OBJECTIVE: In order to evaluate the influence of liver inflammation on liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by the simultaneous use of shear wave and strain imaging (combinational elastography), shear wave and strain imaging were compared before and after initial therapy for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). METHODS: Nine AIH patients initially treated with steroid were enrolled. Transient elastography and real-time tissue elastography were performed just before and 1 month after the start of initial steroid treatment. Blood samples, LSM, and the liver fibrosis index (LFI) were compared. RESULTS: Aspartate aminotransferase (p = 0.002) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (p = 0.015) were significantly decreased after initial treatment. The LSM was 15.5 ± 9.6 kPa at baseline, decreasing to 7.2 ± 2.3 kPa after initial treatment p = 0.034). The LFI was 1.67 ± 0.67 at baseline and 1.61 ± 0.66 after initial treatment; no significant change in LFI was recognized (p = 0.842). Between ΔALT and ΔLSM, a significant regression equation could be calculated as follows: ΔALT = -0.55 + 0.654 × ΔLSM. CONCLUSIONS: Combinational elastography was useful in evaluating not only the degree of liver fibrosis, but also the degree of liver inflammation in AIH.