ARFI STUDY

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    INVESTIGATING WHETHER ACOUSTIC RADIATION FORCE IMAGING (ARFI) IS PREDICTIVE OF OESOPHAGOGASTRIC VARICES (ogv) IN PATIENTS WITH LIVER CIRRHOSIS

  • IRAS ID

    149286

  • Contact name

    Paul Richardson

  • Contact email

    Paul.Richardson@rlbuht.nhs.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Royal Liverpool University Hospital

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 6 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    Patients with cirrhosis are at risk of developing oesophagogastric varices (OGVs),
    Acute haemorrhage from OGVs is a potentially life threatening complication of portal hypertension secondary to liver cirrhosis. Up to 50% of patients with cirrhosis develop OGVs.

    Acoustic Radiation Force Imaging (ARFI), is an ultrasound technique that measures liver and spleen stiffness. It is performed using an ultrasound machine. This trial will test whether a new ultrasound test (ARFI) can give information about whether patients with liver cirrhosis are likely to have OGVs

    This trial will be run at The Royal Liverpool University Hospital. The patient will be approached before attending the Ultrasound Department for their routine 6-monthly liver ultrasound. If happy to participate additional views of the liver will be taken using ARFI at the time of ultrasound.

    ARFI uses the same ultrasound machine used to perform a normal liver ultrasound. Adding ARFI will mean an additional 5-10 minutes onto the patients routine ultrasound. ARFI is not harmful and the patient will not be able to feel it being done.

    After the ARFI the patient will not be asked to attend any additional visits as all assessments will occur during your routine visits.

  • REC name

    East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    15/EM/0108

  • Date of REC Opinion

    24 Feb 2015

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion