AIM: To evaluate in a multicenter study whether the sonographic characterization of focal liver lesions can be improved using SonoVue-enhancement; and to compare this method with computed tomography (CT) and magnet...
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AIM: To evaluate in a multicenter study whether the sonographic characterization of focal liver lesions can be improved using SonoVue-enhancement; and to compare this method with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: One hundred and thirty four patients withone focal liver lesion detected in baseline ultrasound (US) were examined with conventional US, contrastenhanced US (n = 134), contrast-enhanced CT (n = 115) and/or dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (n = 70). The lesions were classified as malignant, benign or indeterminate and the type of lesion was determined. The final diagnosis based on the combined information of all imaging examinations, clinical information and histology (n = 32) was used. Comparisons were made to see whether the addition of contrast-enhanced US led to the improvement of the characterization of doubtful focal liver lesions.RESULTS: In comparison with unenhanced US, SonoVue markedly improves sensitivity and specificity for the characterization (malignant/benign) of focal liver lesions. In comparison with CT and/or dynamic MRI, SonoVue -enhanced sonography applied for characterization of focal liver lesions was 30.2% more sensitive in the recognition of malignancy and 16.1% more specific in the exclusion of malignancy and overall 22.9% more accurate. In the subgroup with confirmative histology available (n = 30), sensitivity was 95.5% (CEUS), 72.2% (CT) and 81.8% (MRI), and specificity was 75.0% (CEUS), 37.5% (CT) and 42.9% (MRI). The sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for the identification of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) and hemangiomas was 100% and 87%, resulting in an accuracy of 94.5%.CONCLUSION: SonoVue-enhanced sonography emerges as the most sensitive, ost specific and thus most accurate imaging modality for the characterization of focal liver lesions.
AIM: To evaluate contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) using SonoVue in the detection of liver metastases in patients with known extrahepatic primary tumors versus the combined gold standard comprising CT, MRI a...
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AIM: To evaluate contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) using SonoVue in the detection of liver metastases in patients with known extrahepatic primary tumors versus the combined gold standard comprising CT, MRI and clinical/histological data. METHODS: It is an international multicenter study, and there were 12 centres and 125 patients (64 males, 61 females, aged 59 ± 11 years) involved, with 102 patients per protocol. Primary tumors were colorectal in 35%, breast in 27%, pancreatic in 17% and others in 21%. CEUS using SonoVue was employed with a Iow-mechanical-index technique and contrast-specific software using Siemens Elegra, Philips HDI 5000 and Acuson Sequoia; continuous scanning for at least five minutes. RESULTS: CEUS with SonoVue increased significantly the number of focal liver lesions detected versus unenhanced sonography. In 31.4% of the patients, more lesions were found after contrast enhancement. The total numbers of lesions detected were comparable with CEUS (55), triple-phase spiral CT (61) and HRI with a liverspecific contrast agent (53). Accuracy of detection of metastatic disease (i.e. at least one metastatic lesion) was significantly higher for CEUS (91.2%) than for unenhanced sonography (81.4%) and was similar to that of triple-phase spiral CT (89.2 %). In 53 patients whose CEUS examination was negative, a follow-up examination 3-6 months later confirmed the absence of metastatic lesions in 50 patients (94.4%). CONCLUSION: CEUS is proved to be reliable in the detection of liver metastases in patients with known extrahepatic primary tumors and suspected liver lesions.
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