Published online Feb 27, 2024. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v16.i2.123
Peer-review started: November 27, 2023
First decision: December 25, 2023
Revised: December 29, 2023
Accepted: January 17, 2024
Article in press: January 17, 2024
Published online: February 27, 2024
Processing time: 92 Days and 4.3 Hours
With increasing burden of compensated cirrhosis, we desperately need non-invasive methods for assessment of clinically significant portal hypertension. The use of liver and spleen stiffness measurement helps in deferring unnecessary endoscopies for low risk esophageal varices. This would reduce cost and patient discomfort. However, these special techniques may not be feasible at remote areas where still we need only biochemical parameters. More prospective studies validating the non-invasive risk prediction models are definitely needed.
Core Tip: The liver stiffness measurement is time tested tool for assessing liver fibrosis. The new application of spleen stiffness has again supplemented for assessment of portal hypertension and has alleviated the need for unnecessary endoscopies. The novel spleen dedicated stiffness measurement @100 Hz has further improved the screening of high-risk esophageal varices.