Demonstration of intrahepatic accumulated microbubble on ultrasound represents the grade of hepatic fibrosis

Objectives To examine the feasibility of perflubutane-based ultrasound for grading hepatic fibrosis. Methods This prospective study included 202 subjects; main study (controls:33, F0–1:35, F2:26, F3:23, cirrhosis:29) and subsequent study (controls:16, F0–1:7, F2:20, F3:7, cirrhosis:6). Diagnostic abilities for assessing fibrosis grade were compared between contrast findings and FIB4 (age × AST/[platelet count × ALT 0.5 ]). Results High-power emission produced an intrahepatic band-like structure, and the three-layer appearance was less frequent and monolayer appearance was more frequent in cirrhosis than controls/chronic hepatitis ( P