Shear wave speed: Becoming a clinically valuable biomarker

摘要

Shear Wave Elasticity Imaging (SWEI) utilizes acoustic radiation force excitations to generate transient shear waves in soft tissues. The speed of these propagating shear waves can be used to characterize the viscoelastic properties of soft tissues. Multiple manufacturers have introduced shear wave-based imaging modes on their scanners, with a variety of clinical applications, including characterizing liver stiffness and breast masses. The clinical literature, however, has highlighted an unacceptable level of variability in shear wave speed measurements between different commercial systems that could limit their future integration into clinical diagnostic workflows as a valuable biomarker. The RSNA Quantitative Imaging Biomarker Alliance (QIBA) has established a working group to evaluate the performance of current shear wave imaging systems from different manufacturers and define sources of variability when making shear wave measurements at different clinical sites.