The Role of Spleen Stiffness Measurement to Assess Liver Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis B: A Review of Current Literature

Carisa Irene Hertanto¹, Ummi Maimunah^2*, Aryati³

Abstract

Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) is a significant health concern, especially in Indonesia, which increases liver-related morbidity and mortality. As liver fibrosis is often assessed with liver biopsy, an invasive procedure with several limitations, noninvasive alternatives such as transient elastography (TE) to measure liver stiffness measurement (LSM) have gained popularity. Furthermore, a new promising tool for evaluating liver fibrosis, spleen stiffness measurement (SSM), has emerged as another noninvasive alternative. This literature review examines SSM’s role in assessing liver fibrosis and its relationship with LSM. The review synthesized findings on the correlation between spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) and liver fibrosis. CHB-induced liver fibrosis involves a complex pathophysiology ranging from immune-mediated hepatocyte injury to extracellular matrix deposition, and portal hypertension. All the changes mentioned affect liver and spleen stiffness, supported by research that demonstrated a positive correlation between the two. Moreover, SSM may have more diagnostic value in some instances, where LSM are deemed unreliable, such as ascites or obesity. Although SSM shows promise as a noninvasive marker for liver fibrosis, further studies are essential to enlighten the correlation between LSM and SSM and validate its diagnostic accuracy in clinical practice.

Keywords

Chronic hepatitis B; liver fibrosis; liver stiffness; spleen stiffness.

Cite This Article

Hertanto, C. I., Maimunah, U., Aryati. (2024). The Role of Spleen Stiffness Measurement to Assess Liver Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis B: A Review of Current Literature. International Journal of Scientific Advances (IJSCIA), Volume 5| Issue 6: Nov-Dec 2024, Pages 1187-1194, URL: https://www.ijscia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Volume5-Issue6-Nov-Dec-No.705-1187-1194.pdf

Volume 5 | Issue 6: Nov – Dec 2024