Evidence mapPaperPMID 42458323Full record

ArticleBMC gastroenterology2026

Point shear wave elastography for non-invasive detection of advanced fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a prospective histologically validated study.

Wolfgang Kratzer, Andreas Binzberger, Stefan G Kauschke, Finn Dolze, Markus Werner, Thomas F E Barth, Heike Neubauer, Eric Simon, Andreas David Brunner, Benedikt Haggenmüller and 1 more

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC gastroenterology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Wolfgang Kratzer *Abteilung für Innere Medizin I, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, Ulm, 89081, Germany. wolfgang.kratzer@uniklinik-ulm.de.
Andreas Binzberger *Abteilung für Innere Medizin I, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, Ulm, 89081, Germany.
Stefan G KauschkeBoehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany.
Finn DolzeAbteilung für Innere Medizin I, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, Ulm, 89081, Germany.
Markus WernerBoehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany.
Thomas F E BarthInstitut für Pathologie, Universität Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
Heike NeubauerBoehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany.
Eric SimonBoehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany.
Andreas David BrunnerBoehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany.
Benedikt HaggenmüllerInstitute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
Mark M HaenleAbteilung für Innere Medizin I, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, Ulm, 89081, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMetabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, and fibrosis stage is the strongest predictor of liver-related outcomes. Point shear wave elastography (pSWE), based on acoustic radiation force impulse technology, is widely available in routine ultrasound systems; however, histologically validated data in well-characterized MASLD cohorts remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of pSWE for the detection of advanced fibrosis (≥ F3) using histology as the reference standard.

methodsIn this prospective single-center study, adult patients with MASLD undergoing clinically indicated liver biopsy were included. Liver stiffness was assessed using pSWE on a Siemens ultrasound system. Histological fibrosis staging (F0-F4) was performed by three blinded liver pathologists. Diagnostic performance for advanced fibrosis (≥ F3) was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Clinically applicable rule-in and rule-out thresholds were determined using predefined sensitivity- and specificity-based criteria.

resultsA total of 59 patients with MASLD and numerically evaluable pSWE measurements were included. Advanced fibrosis (≥ F3) was present in 18/59 patients (30.5%). pSWE demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance for the detection of advanced fibrosis, with an AUROC of 0.90 (95% CI 0.82-0.97). A threshold of 1.255 m/s achieved 100% sensitivity and 100% negative predictive value, supporting a rule-out strategy. A threshold of 1.96 m/s achieved 97.6% specificity and 91.7% positive predictive value, supporting a rule-in strategy. Shear wave velocity correlated significantly with histological fibrosis stage (Spearman ρ = 0.68, p < 0.001).

conclusionPoint shear wave elastography provides reliable non-invasive detection of advanced fibrosis in MASLD. Technique-specific thresholds enable clinically meaningful rule-in and rule-out strategies and may support integration of pSWE into stepwise non-invasive fibrosis risk stratification pathways.

Indexed as

Elasticity Imaging TechniquesFatty LiverLiver CirrhosisAdultAgedBiopsyFemaleHumansLiverMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesROC CurveSensitivity and SpecificityARFILiver fibrosisMASLDNon-invasive diagnosisPoint shear wave elastographyUltrasound

Identifiers

PMID42458323
PMCPMC13374146

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.