This prospective clinical study evaluates the diagnostic performance of S-Shearwave Imaging™, implemented on the Samsung V8 ultrasound system, for liver fibrosis ultrasound assessment and staging in patients with chronic liver disease. Conducted at Chungnam National University Hospital, the study involved 133 participants who underwent both S-Shearwave Imaging™ and Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE), with MRE serving as the reference standard.
S-Shearwave Imaging™ demonstrated a very strong correlation with MRE (r = 0.926), outperforming other noninvasive methods such as Transient Elastography (TE) (r = 0.763) and APRI scores (r = 0.453). The diagnostic accuracy of S-Shearwave Imaging™ was consistently high, with AUROC values of 0.978 for ≥F2, 0.982 for ≥F3, and 0.974 for F4.
The study also established cutoff values for fibrosis staging using the Samsung V8 system:
- ≥F2 (Significant fibrosis): 6.82 kPa
- ≥F3 (Advanced fibrosis): 8.63 kPa
- F4 (Cirrhosis): 9.66 kPa
In addition, the inter-observer reliability of S-Shearwave Imaging™ was excellent, with an ICC of 0.962. These results confirm that the Samsung V8 ultrasound system equipped with S-Shearwave Imaging™ offers a reliable, noninvasive, and reproducible solution for liver fibrosis assessment—comparable in performance to MRE and suitable for broad clinical use.
For a step-by-step overview of the technology, see our Quick Guide to S-Shearwave™ Imaging for Liver .
