Review for 10.1186/s12876-018-0910-z (2018)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Ultrasonic Assessment of Liver Stiffness and Carotid Art ery Elasticity in Patients with 
Chronic Viral Hepatitis  
 
Version: 2 Date: 29 May 2018  
 
Reviewer: Tie-Sheng Cao  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
In this manuscript, the authors carried out a a p reliminary study about the relationship between 
liver stiffness and carotid artery elasticity in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, by using ARFI 
technique and radio frequency (RF) vascular quantitative technique. The results are of interests. 
The find ings in this study may provide a useful reference for the clinical diagnosis of vascular 
diseases in patients with viral hepatitis.  
 
 
I appreciate the work they have done. My minor concerns for this manuscript are as in below:  
 
1. I can understand the major p oints of this manuscript but language polishing is still 
needed, especially for the abstract.  
 
 
2. I suggest the title should be changed as "Ultrasonic Assessment of Liver Stiffness and 
Carotid Artery Elasticity in Patients with Chronic Viral Hepatitis".  
 
 
3. For Fig. 1, the panel A and B should be merged as a whole figure 1, and the abbreviations 
should have annotations at the end of the figure legend. The location information should 
be displayed with text on the ultrasound imaging. I also suggest the screen o f the results 
of vascular elasticity parameters should be also added at the bottom corner of panel B.     
 
 
4. I suggest fig. 2 and fig.3 can be merged as one figure with two panels.  
 
 
5. For Fig. 4, six panels should be merged as a whole figure.  
 
 
6. Fig.5 -7 can also be merged as one figure.  
 
 
 
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported b y the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specif y what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess  the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publi cation of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you curr ently applying for any patents  relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any  other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have  no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understan d that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named re port 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I underst and that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be in cluded as confidential comments 
to the editor s, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal