Abstract: Objective To analyze the value of high frequency ultrasound combined with sound touch elastography (STE) in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis at different stages. Methods 100 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis admitted between October 2022 and October 2024 were selected. The echo of liver parenchyma, the clarity of liver capsule and hepatic vein, the border shape and the thickness of spleen were evaluated by high-frequency ultrasound with reference to the ultrasonic semi-quantitative scoring standard. STE detected the liver hardness (LSM) and spleen hardness (SSM), and calculated APRI and FIB-4 according to the clinical test results. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and area under curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the efficacy of hepatitis B cirrhosis at compemsated and decompendated stages. Results There were 61 patients with compensated and 39 patients with decompensated hepatitis B-related cirrhosis. In the decompensated group, platelet (PLT) count, albumin (Alb) level, values of aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4), LSM and SSM were (94.5±22.4) ×10⁹/L, (31.4±3.5) g/L, (0.47±0.08), (0.63±0.13), (15.3±3.2) kPa and (18.9±6.9) kPa, respectively, compared with those of (74.0±14.1) ×10⁹/L, (29.8±2.5) g/L, (0.54±0.12), (0.80±0.21), (18.4±4.1) kPa and (23.5±9.3) kPa in the compensatory group [P<0.05]. Comparing the two groups′ ultrasonic semi-quantitative scores, in the decompensated group, the scores of liver parenchyma echo, liver capsule, hepatic vein clarity, border shape and spleen thickness were (2.6±0.4) points, (2.0±0.4) points, (2.0±0.3) points, (2.5±0.4) points, (2.1±0.3) points, (2.1±0.3) points and (11.3±1.3) points, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of (2.9±0.7) points, (2.4±0.6) points, (2.3±0.5) points, (2.8±0.6) points, (2.5±0.5) points and (13.2±2.8) points in the compensatory group (P<0.05). The AUC values of APRI+FIB-4+LSM+SSM+ semi-quantitative score and LSM+SSM+ semi-quantitative score in the diagnosis of decompensated cirrhosis were 0.89 and 0.87, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of single diagnosis (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the AUC values of the first two diagnosis modes (P>0.05). Conclusion High-frequency ultrasound combined with STE in the diagnosis of hepatitis B-related cirrhosis can help to distinguish the compensate or decompensate status of cirrhosis, which is worthy of further clinical verification.

Key words: Liver cirrhosis, Sound touch elastography, High frequency ultrasound