Point shear wave elastography (pSWE) and transient elastography (TE) for quantifying iron overload and liver fibrosis in beta-thalassemia patients

Point shear wave elastography (pSWE) and transient elastography (TE) are at the forefront of non-invasive evaluation of iron overload in beta thalassemia major (BTM) patients, meeting both clinical recommendations and publication standards. This letter to the editor aims at discussing the use of pSWE and TE as safe and efficacious tools for the assessment of liver iron overload and fibrosis. Numerous studies attest to the efficacy of pSWE and TE in detecting iron-excessive-induced hepatic stiffness in patients with BTM. The efficacy of analyzing stiffness in visceral organs demonstrates the rapid and innovative progress of pSWE in modern diagnostic procedures. Empirical evidence demonstrates the remarkable diagnostic accuracy and reliability of pSWE, establishing it as a viable replacement for TE. It is largely eloquent because it streamlines the clinical process and is efficient, requiring fewer assessment values. Moreover, combining pSWE with cutting-edge imaging modalities such as MRI offers a comprehensive examination of iron overload and its deleterious consequences for organ function. Finally, a distinct analysis of the interpreted pSWE results requires deliberation of significant patient characteristics such as liver stiffness and BMI, as well as the substantial area of the liver and hepatic steatosis. The aforementioned factors need to be taken into account in order to maximize the diagnostic utility of pSWE and guarantee an appropriate assessment of liver stiffness.