The Prevalence and Severity of HCV Infection in Thalassemia Major and Thalassemia Intermedia in Siriraj Hospital

Transient elastography (TE) is an ultrasound-based device used for measuring the degree of liver stiffness. A transducer probe is used to create mild amplitude and low frequency vibrations (50 Hz) that transmitted through the liver tissue. This results in an elastic shear wave that propagates through the underlying liver tissue. The probe then utilizes pulse-echo ultrasound to follow the propagation of the shear wave and to measure its velocity. The velocity of the wave is directly related to tissue stiffness which correlates with fibrosis. The sensitivity and the specificity of TE is between 68%-88% and between 66%-100%, respectively for the detection of significant liver fibrosis (METAVIR score F\>2).