Multi-Directional Band-Pass Filter in Continuous Shear Wave Elastography for Steatotic Liver Assessment

Accurate evaluation of liver fibrosis is essential for managing chronic liver disease. Shear wave elastography enables noninvasive assessment of liver stiffness. Continuous shear wave elastography (C-SWE) with a mechanical vibrator enhances signal-to-noise ratio by generating large-amplitude shear waves. However, current analysis method in C-SWE is limited in estimating shear wave velocity (SWV) across a broad range. We introduce a C-SWE method that applies narrower wavenumber-domain filters with energy-based adaptive selection using a multi-directional band-pass approach. In a pilot study of nine patients with steatotic liver disease, the method extracted shear wave components across a wide velocity spectrum. Mean SWVs were 1.5 ± 0.2 m/s for F0–1 and 1.8 ± 0.4 m/s for F4, demonstrating a significant difference. This approach improved SWV estimation accuracy and successfully distinguished normal from cirrhotic livers, highlighting its promise for clinical application.