Point shear wave elastography / acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (pSWE/ARFI) and 2-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE)

Both point shear wave elastography / acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (pSWE/ARFI) and 2-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) are available on commercial ultrasound machines with several different manufacturers. The diagnostic performance of both pSWE/ARFI and 2D-SWE is similar to vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE), but validation is not as extensive as for VCTE, particularly in nonviral liver diseases. Results of pSWE/ARFI are usually expressed in metres per second (m/s), while 2D-SWE is reported as kilopascals (kPa). Criteria for results to be considered reliable are not consistently established for all machines.