Solid focal liver lesions indeterminate by contrast-enhanced CT or MR imaging: the added diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound

Emilio Quaia

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

The main clinically recognized application of contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) with microbubble contrast agents is the characterization of incidental focal liver lesions. CEUS with low transmit power insonation allows the real-time assessment of contrast enhancement in a focal liver lesion after microbubble contrast agent injection, during the arterial (10-25 s), portal venous (from 35 s up to 2 min) and late phase (4-6 min after microbubble injection). During the portal venous and late phase benign lesions appear hyper or iso-enhancing in comparison to the adjacent liver parenchyma, while malignant lesions prevalently present contrast washout with hypo-enhancing appearance. CEUS may provide an added diagnostic value in those incidental focal liver lesions in which contrast-enhanced CT or MR imaging are not conclusive. In particular, CEUS may provide an added diagnostic value in those focal liver lesions appearing indeterminate on single-phase CT scan, or on CT scans performed by an incorrect delay time or also after injection of a low dose of iodinated contrast agent, or also in those focal liver lesions revealing equivocal enhancement patterns on contrast-enhanced CT or MR imaging. CEUS may have an added diagnostic value also in hepatocellular nodules in a cirrhotic liver and can be considered a complementary imaging technique to CT.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)580-90
Number of pages11
JournalAbdominal Imaging
Volume37
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2012

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Hemangioma
  • Humans
  • Image Enhancement
  • Incidental Findings
  • Liver Cirrhosis
  • Liver Diseases
  • Liver Neoplasms
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Microbubbles
  • Radiographic Image Enhancement
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

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