Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) Elastography for the Staging of Liver Fibrosis in Children with Iron Overload
29 children with hemolytic anemia aged from 2 up to 17 years old underwent ARFI elastography and liver biopsy with fibrosis assessment according to the METAVIR scale. 100 children without pathology of hepatobiliary system formed the control group. Study was performed using the Acuson S2000 ultrasound system (Siemens, Germany). According to the morphological examination F0 stage was revealed in 4 (14%) children, F1 - in 13 (45%), F2 - in 6 (21%) and F3 - in 6 (21%) as well. Patients of the main group were divided in to the 2 subgroups: 1 <sup>st</sup> subgroup of 13 children with F1 stage, 2 <sup>nd</sup> - 12 children with F2-F3 stages. Sensitivity of ARFI elastography in diagnosis of F1 stage of liver fibrosis with cut off value equal to 1.42 m/s was 0.58, specificity - 0.85, positive predictive value - 0.60, negative predictive value - 0.84, AUC - 0.732. Sensitivity of ARFI elastography in F2-F3 stage diagnosis with shear wave speed value equal to 1.55 m/s was 0.83, specificity - 0.79, positive predictive value - 0.61, negative predictive value - 0.98, AUC - 0.871.