Evaluation of liver fibrosis stage in chronic hepatitis B patients by spleen stiffness and volume measurement with magnetic resonance elastography

Abstract

Abstract: Objective The staging of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) was evaluated by spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) and spleen volume with magnetic resonance elastography (MRE).Methods A total of 92 CHB patients (70 males and 22 females) who completed MRE examination from January 2018 to April 2021 were enrolled, with an average age of (42.1±6.0) years. T test or chi-square test was used for statistical comparison according to the data type.Results When comparing the data of CHB patients (CHB group) and control group, the SSM values of CHB group and control group were (5.1±1.2)kPa and (4.4±0.9)kPa, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The volume of spleen in CHB group and control group was (210.3±37.1)cm3 and (180.6±30.8)cm³, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The levels of platelet (PLT) count, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) in CHB group were (130.8±32.3) ×10⁹/L, (55.8±18.4) U/L, (52.1±16.1) U/L, (158.2±42.1) U/L, compared with the control group [(182.5±40.6) ×10⁹/L, (28.4±11.1) U/L, (24.6±9.6) U/L, (92.0±30.6) U/L and (36.2±12.9) U/L], respectively, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The SSM values of CHB patients in F3 [(5.8±1.3) kPa] and F4 [(6.8±1.5) kPa] were significantly higher than those in F0 [(4.4±1.0) kPa], F1 [(4.5±0.9) kPa] and F2 [(4.6±1.2) kPa], respectively, with all P<0.05. The volume of spleen in patients with CHB in F3 [(246.1± 43.1) cm3] and F4 [(272.2±49.2) cm³] was significantly higher than that in F0 [(186.5±32.2) cm³], F1 [(192.3±33.5) cm³] and F2 [(198.4±35.0) cm³, respectively, with all P<0.05.Conclusion Measurement of SSM and spleen volume by MRE has important clinical value for staging liver fibrosis in CHB patients, especially for the evaluation of advanced liver fibrosis.

Key words: Chronic hepatitis B, Magnetic resonance elastography, Liver fibrosis stage, Spleen stiffness measurement, Spleen volume

WANG Tian-bao, WEI Hai-gang, XU Xin-sheng. Evaluation of liver fibrosis stage in chronic hepatitis B patients by spleen stiffness and volume measurement with magnetic resonance elastography[J]. Chinese Hepatolgy, 2022, 27(4): 443-446.

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