Elastography

Elastography is a type of ultrasound diagnostics.

 The procedure makes it possible to assess the degree of elasticity of soft tissues and:

• study structural changes in organs;
• identify neoplasms and determine their nature (benign or malignant tumor);
• in some cases, helps to avoid a biopsy (plucking off a piece of tissue for examination).

Two types of elastography are used to diagnose various organs and soft tissues:

• compression elastography;
• shear wave elastography.

Compression elastography is used to diagnose surface tissues – lymph nodes, liver, mammary and thyroid glands. Shear wave elastography is used to diagnose internal organs: the liver, spleen, pancreas, prostate, pelvic organs and others.

Shear wave elastography allows diagnosing small neoplasms, determining their elasticity regardless of location, and also detect pathologies such as pancreatitis, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and others at an early stage.

The examination is carried out if a neoplasm is suspected. It helps to determine its nature, size and exact localization.

Elastography is performed like a usual ultrasound examination. The patient is lying on the couch, and the doctor examines the necessary area using an ultrasound sensor. The procedure is completely safe and painless.

The results of the elastography are displayed on the monitor. The area under examination is colored in different colors depending on the elasticity or stiffness of the tissues. The doctor, knowing the symbols of the device and the parameters of the norm, interprets the results and makes a consultation summary.

Healthy tissues have high elasticity. It remains with the development of the inflammatory process and the growth of benign neoplasms. Malignant tumors, on the contrary, are inelastic and rigid. During elastography the device directs an ultrasound beam to the examined organ which is reflected and captured by a special sensor. A computer program evaluates the results and determines the degree of tissue elasticity. The examined organ is colored on the monitor in different colors depending on that degree.

Elastography is usually performed in combination with usual ultrasound. Research has shown that this examination has more than 95% of sensitivity in the diagnosis of cancer and 94% of specificity – the ability to distinguish between benign and malignant tumors.

Elastography allows diagnosing nodular formations, fibrosis, benign and malignant tumors, inflammatory and other pathological processes. During the study the doctor can also determine the size and shape of the neoplasm. Due to non-invasiveness, safety and painlessness the procedure can be performed regularly helping to evaluate the dynamics of pathological changes and the effectiveness of treatment.

At the «Oxford Medical» Clinic, ultrasound and elastography are performed on a LOGIQ P9 ultrasound machine from the American company GE Healthcare. This is an expert-class device. The LOGIQ P9 model was released in early 2020. The device provides the most accurate diagnosis of all neoplasms and structural changes in internal organs and soft tissues. Most calculations are performed automatically. It helps to reduce the impact of the human factor.

Elastography makes it possible to diagnose neoplasms of any localization and determine their malignancy. This reduces the need for invasive diagnostics (tissue biopsies) and allows  detecting diseases at early stages.