Rule-Out Cutoff of Two-Dimensional Shear Wave Elastography for Significant Fibrosis in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and External Validation.

In 30 seconds

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the diagnostic performance of two-dimensional shear-wave elastography for detecting significant fibrosis (≥F2) in 3171 adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. The study identified a rule-out cutoff of 6.6 kPa, achieving a sensitivity of 80.0% and specificity of 70.7%, indicating its potential utility in clinical practice.

Key findings

• The summary area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.84 (95% CI, 0.81-0.87).
• A liver stiffness cutoff of 6.6 kPa achieved a sensitivity of 80.0% and specificity of 70.7%.
• Negative predictive value exceeded 95% at prevalences of 5% and 10%.
• External validation showed sensitivity of 0.86 and specificity of 0.68.

Why it matters

Accurate assessment of liver fibrosis is crucial for managing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. The identified cutoff can help clinicians rule out significant fibrosis, potentially improving patient outcomes through timely interventions.