Ultrafast Quantitative Ultrasound and Shear Wave Elastography Imaging of In Vivo Duck Fatty Livers

Multi-parametric ultrasound imaging is a promising tool for quantification of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In this work, a protocol of plane wave quantitative ultrasound (QUS) and shear wave elastography imaging (SWEI), quasi-simultaneously acquired, and dedicated to the quantification of liver steatosis on in vivo fatty duck livers is presented. Shear wave velocity was estimated to classify stiffness in duck liver tissues. QUS consisted in the local attenuation coefficient slope estimated with the spectral log difference method, and coherent-to-diffuse signal ratio computed from homodyned-K parametric maps. SWEI revealed a constant increase of the liver stiffness over the 16-days feeding process. After 9 days of feeding, ultrasound attenuation reached a maximum and the coherent-to-diffuse signal ratio reached a minimum. Coupled together, SWEI and QUS promise a strong potential for steatosis monitoring of fatty liver tissues, in ducks or humans.