scholarly journals Characterization of Focal Liver Lesions Indistinctive on B Mode Ultrasound: Benefits of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Dong ◽  
Feng Mao ◽  
Jiaying Cao ◽  
Peili Fan ◽  
Wen-Ping Wang

Aim. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the additional value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in identifying and characterizing of focal liver lesions (FLLs) that are indistinctive on B mode ultrasound (BMUS). Methods. The study focused on 70 consecutive patients (male 46, female 24; mean age, 53.1 years ± 10). All lesions were detected by MRI but could not be clearly visualized by BMUS. CEUS was performed by injected SonoVue® (Bracco Imaging Spa, Milan, Italy) as a quick bolus into the antecubital vein. All lesions were proved by pathologic and MRI findings as primary or metastatic hepatic malignancies. Results. On CEUS, 45 (64.2%) FLLs displayed arterial hyperenhancement and 55 (78.5%) lesions showed hypoenhancement in portal venous and late phase (PVLP). Homogeneous and complete hyperenhancement pattern during the arterial phase is highly suspicious for HCC in liver cirrhosis (96.8%). Arterial isoenhancement and early washout during PVLP are characteristic for metastasis (73.3%). For recurrence lesions, arterial hyperenhancement and isoenhancement during PVLP are more common (60%). Conclusion. CEUS may provide added diagnostic values in FLLs appearing indistinctive on BMUS. Presence of early arterial enhancement and washout during PVLP may be helpful for detection of those lesions.

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (04) ◽  
pp. 404-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Schellhaas ◽  
Deike Strobel

AbstractContrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has a high diagnostic accuracy in the assessment of focal liver lesions. Clinical context (presence of liver cirrhosis, history of other malignancy versus incidental finding) is crucial for the correct interpretation of CEUS findings. CEUS has to be preceded by structured anamnesis and clinical examination as well as accurate B-mode sonography. Metastases are the most common malignant liver lesions in a non-cirrhotic liver. According to their contrast enhancement in the arterial phase, metastases are categorized as hyper- and hypo-vascular metastases. A common feature of all metastatic lesions is washout of the contrast agent in the portal venous or late phase. In the context of liver cirrhosis, > 95 % of focal liver lesions are hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). HCCs typically show arterial phase hyperenhancement, followed by mild and gradual contrast washout occurring very late in the late phase. For intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (ICC), the pattern of contrast enhancement in the arterial phase can vary. However, all ICCs typically show early and pronounced washout. Other liver malignancies like lymphoma, angiosarcoma, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma and others are very rare. Except for the contrast washout seen in all liver malignancies, they do not display pathognomonic enhancement patterns upon CEUS. Thus, biopsy is indispensable for definite diagnosis of the tumor entity. Furthermore, CEUS is used for the detection of metastases and therapeutic monitoring after local ablative procedures. The examination procedure differs slightly depending on the specific indication (characterization, detection).


Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1244
Author(s):  
Sonja Schwarz ◽  
Dirk-André Clevert ◽  
Michael Ingrisch ◽  
Thomas Geyer ◽  
Vincent Schwarze ◽  
...  

Background: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of quantitative perfusion parameters in contrast-enhanced ultrasound to differentiate malignant from benign liver lesions. Methods: In this retrospective study 134 patients with a total of 139 focal liver lesions were included who underwent contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) between 2008 and 2018. All examinations were performed by a single radiologist with more than 15 years of experience using a second-generation blood pool contrast agent. The standard of reference was histopathology (n = 60), MRI or CT (n = 75) or long-term CEUS follow up (n = 4). For post processing regions of interests were drawn both inside of target lesions and the liver background. Time–intensity curves were fitted to the CEUS DICOM dataset and the rise time (RT) of contrast enhancement until peak enhancement, and a late-phase ratio (LPR) of signal intensities within the lesion and the background tissue, were calculated and compared between malignant and benign liver lesion using Student’s t-test. Quantitative parameters were evaluated with respect to their diagnostic accuracy using receiver operator characteristic curves. Both features were then combined in a logistic regression model and the cumulated accuracy was assessed. Results: RT of benign lesions (14.8 ± 13.8 s, p = 0.005), and in a subgroup analysis, particular hemangiomas (23.4 ± 16.2 s, p < 0.001) differed significantly to malignant lesions (9.3 ± 3.8 s). The LPR was significantly different between benign (1.59 ± 1.59, p < 0.001) and malignant lesions (0.38 ± 0.23). Logistic regression analysis with RT and LPR combined showed a high diagnostic accuracy of quantitative CEUS parameters with areas under the curve of 0.923 (benign vs. malignant) and 0.929 (hemangioma vs. malignant. Conclusions: Quantified CEUS parameters are helpful to differentiate malignant from benign liver lesions, in particular in case of atypical hemangiomas.


2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shruti Thakur ◽  
Anupam Jhobta ◽  
D.S. Dhiman ◽  
R.G. Sood ◽  
Arun Chauhan ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 1301-1310 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Corvino ◽  
O. Catalano ◽  
S.V. Setola ◽  
F. Sandomenico ◽  
F. Corvino ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 140 (5) ◽  
pp. S-926-S-927
Author(s):  
Ioan Sporea ◽  
Radu Badea ◽  
Alina Popescu ◽  
Alina F. Martie ◽  
Mihai Socaciu ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioan Sporea ◽  
Alina Martie ◽  
Simona Bota ◽  
Roxana Sirli ◽  
Alina Popescu ◽  
...  

Aim: To present a large monocentric experience in the characterization of focal liver lesions (FLLs) using Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS).Method: A retrospective study was performed in the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Timisoara, including 1100 patients with 1329 FLLs evaluated between September 2009 and January 2013. A CEUS examination was considered conclusive if the FLL respected the typical enhancement pattern as described in the EFSUMB Guidelines.Results: From the 1329 FLLs, CEUS was conclusive for a specific pathology in 1102 cases (82.9%). For the differentiation of benign/malignant lesions, CEUS reached a conclusive diagnosis in 1196 (90%) cases. The percentage of conclusive CEUS examinations was significantly higher in patients without chronic liver disease as compared with those with chronic hepatopathies: 87.3% vs. 74.4% (p<0.0001).Conclusion: CEUS patterns of enhancement fell into clear cut specific diagnostic patterns in 83% of the FLLs discovered by US, and into clear cut benign versus malignant patterns in 90% of the cases. For this reason, we can strongly recommend CEUS as a first line imaging method to characterize FLLs found at US, at least in centers with a good experience in CEUS.


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