著者

Shingo Tanaka Noboru Ohba Kiyoshi Abe Yuka Tamoto Kenji Yasui Chihiro Kobayashi Nagomi Saito Koji Miyanishi Satoshi Takahashi Junji Kato

出版者

Japanese Society of Laboratory Medicine

雑誌

Laboratory Medicine International (ISSN:24368660)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.2, no.3, pp.42-49, 2023 (Released:2023-12-29)

参考文献数

24

---

Aims: Attenuation imaging (ATI) is a new ultrasonography method of evaluating hepatic steatosis. Attenuation coefficients (ACs) in the region of interest are measured using two-dimensional ultrasonography. ATI also displays the coefficient of determination (R2) as an index of AC reliability. This study aimed to elucidate R2 values in patients who underwent ATI in clinical practice and to determine factors that influence R2 values. Methods: This study included 749 patients who underwent ATI to evaluate hepatic steatosis at a single center. All abdominal ultrasound examinations were performed by one of the five experienced ultrasonographers. The AC and R2 values were measured five times, and the median values were calculated. Multivariate analysis was conducted to identify factors affecting R2 values. Results: One hundred and nine (15%) patients showed R2 values of < 0.80, of which 108 had non-fatty liver. Further, the R2 value was strongly correlated with AC (correlation coefficient = 0.842). Uncomplicated diabetes (Odds ratio [OR], 2.68) and AC (< 0.60 dB/cm/MHz; OR, 72.76) were identified as independent factors associated with low R2 values (< 0.80). Conclusion: ATI in patients with non-fatty liver showed low R2 values. Worldwide standardization of the ATI measurement method is urgently needed for consistent results.