Shear wave elastography (SWE) uses acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) to generate shear waves within tissue and measures their propagation speed. Stiffer tissue propagates shear waves faster. Results are displayed as color maps and quantitative values in kPa or m/s. SWE is the most widely used noninvasive method for liver fibrosis staging, with established cutoff values corresponding to different fibrosis grades. It is increasingly used in breast, thyroid, prostate, and musculoskeletal imaging to characterize tissue stiffness independently of operator compression.