Liver International
Liver International
3 years ago

Liver Elastography Malignancy Prediction (LEMP) score for noninvasive characterization of Focal Liver Lesions

Gorana Aralica, Tajana Stoos-Veic, Tomislav Bokun, Tajana Filipec-Kanizaj, Mislav Rakic, Nermin N. Salkic, Boris Brkljacic, Mirjana Vukelić-Markovic, Ivica Grgurevic, Annalisa Berzigotti
Background & Aims To analyse elastographic characteristics of focal liver lesions (FLL)s and diagnostic performance of real-time two-dimensional shear-wave elastography (RT-2D-SWE) in order to differentiate benign and malignant FLLs. Patients And Methods Consecutive patients diagnosed with FLL by abdominal ultrasound (US) underwent RT-2D-SWE of FLL and non-infiltrated liver by intercostal approach over the right liver lobe. The nature of FLL was determined by diagnostic work-up, including at least one contrast-enhanced imaging modality (MDCT/MRI), check-up of target organs when metastatic disease was suspected and FLL biopsy in inconclusive cases. Results We analysed 196 patients (median age 60 (range 50-68), 50.5% males) with 259 FLLs (57 hepatocellular carcinomas, 17 cholangiocarcinomas, 94 metastases, 71 haemangiomas, 20 focal nodular hyperplasia) of which 70 (27%) were in cirrhotic liver. Malignant lesions were stiffer (p<0.001) with higher variability of intralesional stiffness (p=0.001). The best performing cut-off of lesion stiffness was 22.3 kPa (sensitivity 83%; specificity 86%; positive predictive value (PPV) 91.5%; negative predictive value (NPV) 73%) for malignancy. Lesion stiffness <14 kPa had NPV of 96%, while values >32.5 kPa had PPV of 96% for malignancy. Lesion stiffness, lesion/liver stiffness ratio and lesion stiffness variability significantly predicted malignancy in stepwise logistic regression (p<0.05), and were used to construct a new Liver Elastography Malignancy Prediction (LEMP) score with accuracy of 96.1% in validation cohort (online calculator available at http://bit.do/lemps). Conclusion The comprehensive approach demonstrated in this study enables correct differentiation of benign and malignant FLL in 96% of patients by using RT-2D-SWE. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/resolve/doi

DOI: 10.1111/liv.13611

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