Journal of Practical Hepatology ›› 2025, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (1): 124-127.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-5069.2025.01.032

• Liver cirrhosis • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Diagnostic performance of ultrasound virtual touch tissue quantification and serum liver fibrosis markers in predicting liver fibrosis in patients with hepatic schistosomiasis

Jiang Shetian, Yan Wei, Zhao Lei, et al   

  1. Department of Ultrasound, Central Hospital, Zhumadian 463003, Henan Province, China
  • Received:2024-08-20 Online:2025-01-10 Published:2025-02-07

Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to investigate diagnostic performance of ultrasound virtual touch tissue quantification ((VTQ)) and serum liver fibrosis markers in predicting liver fibrosis in patients with hepatic schistosomiasis. Methods 87 patients with hepatic schistosomiasis were admitted to our hospital between February 2022 and April 2024, and all of them underwent liver biopsy to determine the stage of liver fibrosis. Ultrasonography was conducted to measure shear wave velocity (SWV). Serum laminin (LN), type III procollagen (PC-III), type IV collagen (IV-C)and hyaluronic acid (HA)levels were measured rountinely. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to evaluate diagnostic efficacy for significant liver fibrosis (SLF) in patients with hepatic schistosomiasis. Results Of 87 patients with hepatic schistosomiasis, liver histo-pathological examination showed liver fibrosis stage (S)0 in 14 cases, S1 in 21 cases, S2 in 20 cases, S3 in 17 cases and S4 in 15 cases; SWV in patients with S0, S1, S2, S3 and S4 were (1.1±0.1) m/s, (1.2±0.1)m/s, (1.6±0.1)m/s, (1.8±0.2)m/s and (2.1±0.2)m/s, significantly different among different liver fibrosis group (P<0.05); serum LN, PC-Ⅲ,Ⅳ-C and HA levels in S2 group were (125.8±16.6)ng/L, (98.4±12.6)ng/L, (67.3±14.9)ng/L and (110.8±20.6)ng/L, all much higher than [(107.3±22.9)ng/L, (85.6±11.2)ng/L, (55.9±12.6)ng/L and (95.1±16.5)ng/L, respectively, P<0.05] in S1 group;diagnostic efficacy was much superior to any single marker when combination of SWV (with cut-off-value of 1.51 m/s)and any two of four serum liver fibrosis markers (cut-off-value:LN=125 ng/L, PC-Ⅲ=98 ng/L, Ⅳ-C=68 ng/L and HA=109 ng/L)was assumed to predict SLF (>=S2), with the sensitivity of 89.0% and specificity of 100.0%. Conclusion The combination of VTQ and serum liver fibrosis markers has a satisfactory diagnostic performance in predicting SLF in patients with hepatic schistosomiasis, which is worthy of further clinical investigation.

Key words: Hepatic schistosomiasis, Liver fibrosis, Virtual touch tissue quantification, Serum liver fibrosis markers, Diagnosis