Diffuse liver disease represents a significant burden on the global health community. Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is one of the most important causes of liver disease globally, creating an increasing burden on health systems. Globally NAFLD affects upwards of 20% of the world’s population, reaching as high as 35% in some regions. With concerning trends in childhood obesity, creating an increased risk of NAFLD in later life. Fatty liver disease is related to life-style factors, such as diet, exercise and alcohol consumption and can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.

The Aplio series diagnostic ultrasound system incorporates the latest generation architecture and advanced transducer technology to deliver a new level of image quality. The newly developed liver tools aim to support clinicians to evaluate diffuse liver disease easier and faster.

Liver disease imaging is one of the major challenges faced by clinicians due to a wide range of pathologies that have overlapping appearances on medical imaging. To provide the diagnostic confidence and clarification needed, new and unique imaging tools have been developed to allow visualisation of changes in liver status.

Ultrasound diagnosis of the fatty liver using B-mode is difficult to reproduce and has a high degree of inter observer error. The ability to accurately and non-invasively grade the degree of “fatty” will help clinicians diagnose this condition more accurately and earlier.

Liver disease is one of the major challenges in imaging today, with a wide range of pathologies. To provide the diagnostic confidence needed, new and unique imaging tools have been developed to allow visualisation of changes in liver status.

Tissue stiffness changes are common in liver disease, but any viscosity changes associated with disease processes such as fatty infiltration were not able to be assessed until now. The combination of SWE and SWD adds both stiffness and viscosity information for a more complete liver assessment.

In cases of liver inflammation, the liver becomes more viscous. It is these changes that SWD is quantifying.

Multi-parametric report which can combine results from both ultrasound as well as external exams (such as blood tests) for a combined result. This unique ability to bring multiple test results and combine into a single report can allow a more comprehensive understanding of liver status.

Results can be viewed in tabular format or as a spider plot (where the shape of the combined result mapping can give information on relationships between results in a visual way).

Multi-parametric report for the following liver applications:

• Shear Wave Elastography
• Shear Wave Dispersion map
• Attenuation Imaging
• User-registered label measurement

Aplio i-series provides superior sensitivity and resolution for both near and far field. The ability to use one transducer across a wider range of patient types can potentially reduce cost, while providing better imaging.

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Features:

• Up to 50 cm penetration

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This narrow face transducer features:

• Improved shape for easy grip 
• Super lightweight transducer head 
• Light weight, thin and highly flexible cable

Aplio i-series' thin micro-convex provides enhanced maneuverability and ease of access.

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Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) and the needle navigation system are indispensable technologies not only for diagnosis but also for monitoring and assessing local treatment. Read the paper to hear Dr. Fuminori Moriyasu from Tokyo Medical University explain the SWE approach to liver tumors, including the differential diagnosis of tumors and the applications of SWE in local treatment.