Elastography is a modern diagnostic method that uses the fact that the hardness of a tissue or an organ changes significantly as a result of the disease process. It is a powerful tool in the diagnosis of breast, thyroid and liver diseases. In many cases, it replaces a biopsy, saving patients the unnecessary discomfort associated with such an invasive examination. Find out exactly what elastography is and what the types of this test are.

Elastographyis an innovative method of imaging organs and tissues. This is a digital extension ofpalpation , which uses the fact that a disease process changes the hardness of an organ or tissue. The assessment of stiffness allows for a thorough examination and, consequently, the detection of lesions - in particular cancerous ones.

There are two basic types of elastography:

  • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI elastography),
  • USG.

Static and dynamic elastography

The most commonly used, mainly for practical reasons, is ultrasound elastography, which we divide into two types - static and dynamic.

Static elastographyconsists in performing rhythmic compressions of the examined area with the ultrasound head and generating its deformation. Based on the deformation and the rate of tissue recovery (before compression), the relative hardness of the tissues of a given area is determined. This technique is used to determine the difference in hardness of focal lesions in relation to the surrounding tissues. It is used in the study of, inter alia, thyroid nodules or breast lumps.

Static elastography is unfortunately not suitable for assessing the degree of liver fibrosis. The result is presented in the form of a color map - each color corresponds to a different tissue hardness.

Dynamic elastographyuses an external source of mechanical or acoustic vibrations, generating a transverse wave in the examined organ. The speed of wave propagation depends on the hardness of the tested tissue. Dynamic elastography is used in the examination of the liver parenchyma.

Liver elastography - what is it?

Liver elastography is used to initially assess liver fibrosis and to assess disease progression or treatment progress. Liver elastography is performed on purposemonitoring the condition of the liver in people after transplantation, as well as in the case of suspected cirrhosis, alcohol damage or chronic viral hepatitis. In these disease states, this method can replace an invasive biopsy.

It is important to be fasting before the test - you can eat your last meal at least 6 hours earlier. The patient should have up-to-date tests of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase.

Significantly elevated results may indicate exacerbation of liver inflammation, making the test impossible. In addition, obesity, pacemakers, cholestasis or pregnancy are contraindications to its conduct.

Elastography of the breast, ovary and thyroid gland

Thanks to elastography, it is possible to recognize pathological changes also in other organs, e.g. breast or thyroid gland.

Nipple elastographyallows you to visualize even the smallest changes. It is an excellent method to differentiate cysts and nodules. It not only enables the detection of a breast tumor, but also shows whether it is a benign or a malignant tumor.

The test is based on the assessment of tumor hardness, which differentiates cancer from non-neoplastic lesions. The cancerous tumor is harder, which is shown as blue-green on the ultrasound monitor. On the other hand, mild and softer changes give the image a green-yellow color.

Ovarian elastographymakes it easier to diagnose even very small lesions at an early stage of advancement, while standard ultrasound only allows to visualize lesions over 5 cm in diameter - advanced lesions.

Thyroid elastographyallows you to diagnose goiter, inflammatory and neoplastic changes in the thyroid gland, as well as to assess local lymph nodes. Moreover, it enables the monitoring of pharmacological or surgical treatment of the thyroid gland. The thyroid examination does not require any preparation by the patient.

Male genital elastography

Testicular elastography, similar to prostate elastography, makes it possible to detect changes with a diameter of even a few millimeters. Unfortunately, testicular cancer is one of the most common solid neoplasms diagnosed in men, so diagnosis as soon as possible is extremely important.

  • Ovarian cancer - symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
  • Ultrasound (USG) - types, course, preparation
  • Thyroid diseases - causes, symptoms, treatment
  • Liver diseases - symptoms of a diseased liver. Causes and Treatment

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Research