Spleen stiffness measurement as a non-invasive assessment in patients with portal hypertension

For patients with advanced chronic liver disease who are in a compensated state, the development of portal hypertension (PHT) can lead to a heightened risk of hepatic decompensation and mortality. This underscores the importance of timely and appropriate treatment to manage the condition and prevent...

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Main Authors: Jie Li, Chao Wu, Jiacheng Liu, Xiaoming Xu, Yixuan Zhu, Fajuan Rui
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2024-02-01
Series:eGastroenterology
Online Access:https://egastroenterology.bmj.com/content/2/1/e100031.full
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author Jie Li
Chao Wu
Jiacheng Liu
Xiaoming Xu
Yixuan Zhu
Fajuan Rui
author_facet Jie Li
Chao Wu
Jiacheng Liu
Xiaoming Xu
Yixuan Zhu
Fajuan Rui
author_sort Jie Li
collection DOAJ
description For patients with advanced chronic liver disease who are in a compensated state, the development of portal hypertension (PHT) can lead to a heightened risk of hepatic decompensation and mortality. This underscores the importance of timely and appropriate treatment to manage the condition and prevent further complications. The current gold standard procedure for determining PHT is the hepatic venous pressure gradient, but its invasiveness limits its usage in clinical practice and larger trials of novel agents. The current clinical demand for accurate, validated and non-invasive methods to assess the severity of PHT remains unmet. One potential non-invasive option is tissue elastography, which examines the elastic behaviour of tissue after a force has been applied. This method involves quantifying alterations in the biomechanical properties of the liver or spleen in patients with cirrhosis. Available methods are various, including transient elastography, shear wave elastography, acoustic radiation force impulse and magnetic resonance elastography. Importantly, the measurement of spleen stiffness appears to outperform liver stiffness as a direct and dynamic indicator of portal pressure, offering the potential to monitor PHT and evaluate improvements in PHT as a marker for clinical outcomes.
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series eGastroenterology
spelling doaj-art-8b37f0170abe4fcd8aa7b485a2d2049f2025-08-20T02:39:35ZengBMJ Publishing GroupeGastroenterology2766-01252976-72962024-02-012110.1136/egastro-2023-100031Spleen stiffness measurement as a non-invasive assessment in patients with portal hypertensionJie Li0Chao Wu1Jiacheng Liu2Xiaoming Xu3Yixuan Zhu4Fajuan Rui5Department of Cardiopulmonary Sciences, Division of Respiratory Care, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois, USASchool of Nursing, Peking University, Beijing, China2 Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China1 Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China3 Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China1 Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, ChinaFor patients with advanced chronic liver disease who are in a compensated state, the development of portal hypertension (PHT) can lead to a heightened risk of hepatic decompensation and mortality. This underscores the importance of timely and appropriate treatment to manage the condition and prevent further complications. The current gold standard procedure for determining PHT is the hepatic venous pressure gradient, but its invasiveness limits its usage in clinical practice and larger trials of novel agents. The current clinical demand for accurate, validated and non-invasive methods to assess the severity of PHT remains unmet. One potential non-invasive option is tissue elastography, which examines the elastic behaviour of tissue after a force has been applied. This method involves quantifying alterations in the biomechanical properties of the liver or spleen in patients with cirrhosis. Available methods are various, including transient elastography, shear wave elastography, acoustic radiation force impulse and magnetic resonance elastography. Importantly, the measurement of spleen stiffness appears to outperform liver stiffness as a direct and dynamic indicator of portal pressure, offering the potential to monitor PHT and evaluate improvements in PHT as a marker for clinical outcomes.https://egastroenterology.bmj.com/content/2/1/e100031.full
spellingShingle Jie Li
Chao Wu
Jiacheng Liu
Xiaoming Xu
Yixuan Zhu
Fajuan Rui
Spleen stiffness measurement as a non-invasive assessment in patients with portal hypertension
eGastroenterology
title Spleen stiffness measurement as a non-invasive assessment in patients with portal hypertension
title_full Spleen stiffness measurement as a non-invasive assessment in patients with portal hypertension
title_fullStr Spleen stiffness measurement as a non-invasive assessment in patients with portal hypertension
title_full_unstemmed Spleen stiffness measurement as a non-invasive assessment in patients with portal hypertension
title_short Spleen stiffness measurement as a non-invasive assessment in patients with portal hypertension
title_sort spleen stiffness measurement as a non invasive assessment in patients with portal hypertension
url https://egastroenterology.bmj.com/content/2/1/e100031.full
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