Shear wave / strain elastography for Liver, Breast, Thyroid etc.

Shear wave elastography (SWE) uses sound waves to measure how fast “shear waves” move through tissue, giving a precise, quantitative measure of tissue stiffness. Stiffer tissue often indicates fibrosis, tumors, or other disease processes.

Strain elastography measures tissue deformation (strain) when slight pressure is applied, showing relative stiffness as a color map on the ultrasound image. Both techniques are painless, non-invasive, and performed alongside a standard ultrasound.Shear wave and strain elastography are advanced ultrasound techniques used to measure the stiffness or elasticity of tissues in organs like the liver, breast, thyroid, prostate, and lymph nodes. This helps doctors detect diseases such as fibrosis, tumors, or other abnormalities without the need for invasive biopsies. Elastography improves diagnostic confidence and helps guide treatment decisions across many conditions.

Types of Shear Wave / Strain Elastography

Liver Elastography – Assesses liver stiffness to detect and monitor fibrosis, cirrhosis, or fatty liver disease.
Breast Elastography – Helps distinguish benign from malignant breast lesions.
Thyroid Elastography – Evaluates thyroid nodules and helps assess the risk of thyroid cancer.
Prostate and Lymph Node Elastography – Assists in evaluating prostate stiffness and suspicious lymph nodes.

Symptoms That May Lead to Elastography Evaluation

You may be referred for elastography if you have:

Persistent liver disease or abnormal liver blood tests
History of hepatitis B or C, alcohol-related liver disease, or fatty liver
A newly found breast lump on mammography or ultrasound
Thyroid nodules detected on physical exam or ultrasound
Enlarged lymph nodes or suspected prostate abnormalities

Common Uses of Shear Wave / Strain Elastography

Liver: Assess fibrosis stage in chronic liver diseases; monitor liver health without biopsy.
Breast: Improve cancer detection; differentiate benign from malignant lumps.
Thyroid: Characterize thyroid nodules; reduce unnecessary biopsies.
Prostate & Lymph Nodes: Identify abnormal tissue, guide biopsies if needed.

How to Prepare for Shear Wave / Strain Elastography

In most cases, no special preparation is needed. For liver elastography, you may be asked to fast (avoid food and drink) for 2–4 hours before the exam to improve image quality. Wear comfortable clothing, and you may be asked to remove jewelry near the area being examined.

What Happens During the Procedure

You will lie comfortably on an examination table.
A water-based gel is applied to the skin over the area being evaluated.
The ultrasound probe is gently placed on the skin. For strain elastography, light pressure may be applied.
The machine captures stiffness measurements and creates color-coded images.
The entire procedure typically takes 15–30 minutes and is completely painless.

Reasons for Shear Wave / Strain Elastography

Doctors recommend elastography to:

Detect early liver fibrosis or cirrhosis
Evaluate suspicious breast or thyroid nodules
Guide decisions about the need for biopsy or further tests
Monitor treatment response in liver or cancer patients
Provide additional diagnostic information beyond regular ultrasound

Why is Elastography Used?

Elastography provides critical real-time information about tissue health and stiffness without needles, radiation, or invasive procedures. It helps improve diagnostic accuracy, reduce unnecessary biopsies, and allows earlier detection of serious conditions like cancer, cirrhosis, or fibrosis. As a result, it supports more personalized and effective patient care.