SPSS version 13.0 statistical software package (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA) was used for data analysis. The mean SWVs, renal length, parenchymal thickness, and interlobar arterial RI among different groups were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Student-Newman-Keuls test. Correlations between ARFI and conventional US parameters with variables (glomerular sclerosis, tubulointerstitial damage, vascular sclerosis, histologic scores, serum creatinine, and e-GFR) were analyzed by using Pearson's correlation coefficients.
The diagnostic performance of ARFI imaging and conventional US in identifying renal histological fibrosis was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The optimal cut-off values for the prediction of different group with CKD were chosen to maximize the sum of sensitivity and specificity. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated after the cut-off values were optimized.
P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to assess the intra- and inter-observer reliability of the SWV measurements. Agreement was indicative of poor (ICC<0.40), fair to good (ICC = 0.40 to 0.75) or excellent (ICC>0.75).
Hu Q., Wang X.Y., He H.G., Wei H.M., Kang L.K, & Qin G.C. (2014). Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging for Non-Invasive Assessment of Renal Histopathology in Chronic Kidney Disease. PLoS ONE, 9(12), e115051.