Multiparametric Ultrasound Techniques for Liver Disease Assessments
A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Nuclear Medicine & Radiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 289
Special Issue Editor
Interests: ultrasound; multiparametric ultrasound; hepatic ultrasound; contrast-enhanced ultra-sound; diffuse hepatic diseases; focal liver lesions; hepatic elastography; liver stiffness; hepatic endosonography; hepatic EUS
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
It is vital to share insights into various ultrasound techniques—such as conventional ultrasound, color and power Doppler, pulsed Doppler, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, elastosonography, and echoendoscopic ultrasound—used in evaluating pathologies that impact the liver and the splanchnic system (and particularly the spleen). The liver is central to metabolic processes and serves as a crucial secondary target in oncological diseases, with its consistency affected by both liver disorders and other conditions, such as those related to the heart and hematopoietic system.
Ultrasound is a non-invasive, safe, and effective method for evaluating common liver and bile duct conditions, including fibrosis, steatosis, and focal lesions. Multiparametric ultrasound (M-US) techniques include conventional sonography, contrast-enhanced sonography, elastography, and endoscopic ultrasound, which serve as essential tools for clinicians.
Currently, invasive methods like liver biopsy and hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurements are the gold standards for assessing the severity of fibrosis and clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH), but their invasiveness limits their widespread use. Noninvasive alternatives, such as tissue elastography, are emerging as valuable tools. Techniques like magnetic resonance elastography, shear-wave elastography, and vibration-controlled transient elastography measure liver stiffness (LS) and spleen stiffness (SS), which correlate well with the HVPG. A LS >20-25 kPa and SS >40-45 kPa are indicative of CSPH. SS, in particular, is highlighted as a superior dynamic marker for monitoring the severity of portal hypertension and treatment responses, offering potential as a surrogate for clinical outcomes in trials. Given the multidisciplinary approach to liver diseases used in clinical practice, our ultrasound evaluations must adopt a multiparametric perspective, assessing diverse parameters including parenchymal, vascular, and consistency factors.
This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the diagnostic potential of M-US in liver diseases and conditions where the liver is a key focus. Clinicians must be aware of the capabilities and limitations of multiparametric liver ultrasound to effectively integrate these techniques into their practice.
We encourage authors to introduce clinical topics by discussing the use, advantages, and limitations of ultrasound, grounded in the latest evidence-based medicine. Each article should provide an up-to-date review, offering readers a holistic perspective on its clinical applications.
Contributions to this Special Issue will enhance the ongoing dialogue regarding the role of multiparametric ultrasound in managing liver diseases. We invite all interested contributors to participate and share their unique perspectives, acknowledging that ultrasound utilization in liver diseases transcends hepatology and impacts the daily work of many healthcare providers.
A comprehensive understanding of multiparametric ultrasound can only be achieved through a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach.
Dr. Francesco Giangregorio
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- ultrasound
- multiparametric ultrasound
- hepatic ultrasound
- contrast-enhanced ultrasound
- contrast agents
- diffuse hepatic diseases
- focal liver lesions
- hepatic elastography
- liver stiffness
- hepatic endosonography
- hepatic EUS
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