Two‐Dimensional Shear Wave Ultrasound Elastography for Monitoring Pediatric Liver Transplantation: A Review of Recent Advances

Abstract

Pediatric liver transplantation (PLT) is a life‐saving procedure for children with end‐stage liver disease. However, post‐transplant monitoring, particularly the diagnosis and prognosis of complications such as allograft fibrosis, remains challenging. Traditionally, liver biopsy has been the gold standard for assessing allograft fibrosis, despite its invasive nature and inherent procedural risks. Recently, shear wave ultrasound elastography (SWE) has seen increasing use as a noninvasive method to provide real‐time, quantitative measurements of liver stiffness as a proxy for fibrosis. In this review, the latest developments in the use of SWE as a method to assess allograft fibrosis post‐PLT are presented, including the current technical challenges associated with its clinical implementation.