Diagnostic value of two dimensional shear wave elastography combined with texture analysis in early liver fibrosis

BACKGROUND Staging diagnosis of liver fibrosis is a prerequisite for timely diagnosis and therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B.In recent years,ultrasound elastography has become an important method for clinical noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis stage,but its diagnostic value for early liver fibrosis still needs to be further improved.In this study,the texture analysis was carried out on the basis of two dimensional shear wave elastography(2D-SWE),and the feasibility of 2D-SWE plus texture analysis in the diagnosis of early liver fibrosis was discussed.AIM To assess the diagnostic value of 2D-SWE combined with textural analysis in liver fibrosis staging.METHODS This study recruited 46 patients with chronic hepatitis B.Patients underwent 2DSWE and texture analysis;Young's modulus values and textural patterns were obtained,respectively.Textural pattern was analyzed with regard to contrast,correlation,angular second moment(ASM),and homogeneity.Pathological results of biopsy specimens were the gold standard;comparison and assessment of the diagnosis efficiency were conducted for 2D-SWE,texture analysis and their combination.RESULTS 2D-SWE displayed diagnosis efficiency in early fibrosis,significant fibrosis,severe fibrosis,and early cirrhosis(AUC>0.7,P<0.05)with respective AUC values of 0.823(0.678-0.921),0.808(0.662-0.911),0.920(0.798-0.980),and 0.855(0.716-0.943).Contrast and homogeneity displayed independent diagnosis efficiency in liver fibrosis stage(AUC>0.7,P<0.05),whereas correlation and ASM showed limited values.AUC of contrast and homogeneity were respectively 0.906(0.779-0.973),0.835(0.693-0.930),0.807(0.660-0.910)and 0.925(0.805-0.983),0.789(0.639-0.897),0.736(0.582-0.858),0.705(0.549-0.883)and 0.798(0.650-0.904)in four liver fibrosis stages,which exhibited equivalence to 2D-SWE in diagnostic efficiency(P>0.05).Combined diagnosis(PRE)displayed diagnostic efficiency(AUC>0.7,P<0.01)for all fibrosis stages with respective AUC of 0.952(0.841-0.994),0.896(0.766-0.967),0.978(0.881-0.999),0.947(0.835-0.992).The combined diagnosis showed higher diagnosis efficiency over 2D-SWE in early liver fibrosis(P<0.05),whereas no significant differences were observed in other comparisons(P>0.05).CONCLUSION Texture analysis was capable of diagnosing liver fibrosis stage,combined diagnosis had obvious advantages in early liver fibrosis,liver fibrosis stage might be related to the hepatic tissue hardness distribution.

MLH1 c.199G>A, a Known Mutation for Lynch Syndrome, Is Also Associated with Sebaceous Neoplasm

Introduction:Muir-Torre syndrome is a phenotypic variant of Lynch syndrome characterized by a predisposition for the development of visceral malignant disease and sebaceous gland neoplasms,and it is caused by germline mutations in the mismatch repair genesMSH2 andMLH1.Case presentation:The proband was a 42-year-old man who had undergone surgical resection of colorectal adenocarcinoma at 28 years.He presented with macular rashes and red papule.Histological examination of the lesion on his head revealed a sebaceoma at 37 years.Follow-up of the family history revealed that the proband’s 65-year-old mother had been highly suspected to have Lynch syndrome with colorectal cancer at 40 years of age.The proband’s daughter underwent colonoscopy because of blood in the stool at the age of 13 years,but no abnormalities were found.Discussion:We have herein reported a pathogenic missense mutation c.199G>A(p.Gly67Arg)in exon 2 ofMLH1 in patients with MTS.This mutation has been reported in patients with Lynch syndrome who have no skin tumors.However,we also found that some patients with MTS had no history of any internal malignancy or skin tumor.Our data support the idea that a hiatus of many years may pass before both elements-a sebaceous neoplasm and an internal cancer-are present in a patient,thus finally allowing the diagnosis of MTS.Conclusion:A pathogenic Lynch syndrome mutation c.199G>A in exon 2 of theMLH1 gene was found in a patient with MTS who presented with a sebaceous neoplasm.