Role of Transient Elastography using Fibroscan in Predicting Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Liver Cirrhotic Patients

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer mortality.Underlying liver cirrhosis is the strongest predisposing factor for HCC.Many patients with HCC are diagnosed at an advanced stage when curative treatment is no longer feasible.Early detection of HCC is crucial for providing effective initial treatments.Fibroscan, a non-invasive, reproducible tool for assessing liver stiffness, may help identify patients with liver cirrhosis at high risk of developing HCC.Objective: To evaluate the role of Fibroscan-measured liver stiffness in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma among liver cirrhotic patients.Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the Department of Hepatology, Bangladesh Medical University (BMU), Dhaka, from May 2022 to August 2023, involving 40 liver cirrhotic patients (20 with HCC and 20 without HCC).HCC was diagnosed by measuring serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level and triphasic CT (computed tomography) scan of HBS.The liver stiffness was measured for patients using echosens fibroscan machine. Results:The mean age of participants was 48.8812.50years; 77.5% were male.Liver stiffness and Alpha-fetoprotein were significantly higher in the HCC group.A cut-off liver stiffness 46.05 kPa can significantly predict HCC with 70% Sensitivity, 80% specificity, and 75.00% accuracy.Conclusion: Liver stiffness 46.05 kPa measured by Fibroscan efficiently predicts hepatocellular carcinoma in liver cirrhotic patients.