Researchers in Korea used transient elastography and found it to be
useful in identifying subclinical cirrhosis among patients at risk for
hepatitis B virus infection-related hepatocellular carcinoma who did not
have evidence of cirrhosis, according to study data.
“We showed that [transient elastography] can
identify patients with [subclinical cirrhosis] who are at increased risk
of developing [hepatocellular carcinoma] in [chronic hepatitis B]
patients without clinical evidence of [liver stiffness],” the
researchers wrote. “The concept of [transient elastography]-defined
[subclinical cirrhosis] might help the physician to modify the
management and surveillance strategies for [chronic hepatitis B]
patients and also activate following studies in this field.”
Researchers, including Seung Up Kim, MD, PhD, and Kwang-Hyub Han, MD,
department of internal medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine,
Seoul, Korea, analyzed data of 2,876 patients without clinical
cirrhosis who underwent transient elastography (TE) examinations between
April 2006 and December 2012. Subclinical cirrhosis (SCC) was defined
as a non-clinical cirrhosis with a liver stiffness (LS) of at least 13
kPa.
Labels: diagnostics, HCC risks, Transient elastography (Fibroscan)