Real-time contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging of focal liver lesions in fatty liver
Received 20 March 2009; accepted 10 May 2009. published online 25 September 2009. Corrected Proof
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this study was to investigate the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging features of focal liver lesions (FLLs) in fatty liver.
Method
One hundred FLLs in 98 patients with fatty liver were evaluated with real-time CEUS.
Results
All malignant FLLs showed hyperenhancement in arterial phase and contrast washout in portal and late phases. Among the FLLs, 3.3% of hemangiomas, 12.5% of focal nodular hyperplasias (FNHs), and 2.5% of focal fatty sparing lesions showed contrast washout in the late phase. The sensitivity and specificity for the characterization of hepatocellular carcinoma, metastasis, hemangioma, FNH, and focal fatty sparing lesions were 100% and 95.6%, 60% and 100%, 93.3% and 98.6%, 87.5% and 97.8%, and 92.6% and 100%, respectively.
Conclusions
Correct characterization of FLLs in fatty liver by CEUS is possible based on their typical enhancement patterns.
aDepartment of Medical Ultrasonics, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
bDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
cDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
Corresponding author. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou 510080, People's Republic of China. Tel.: +86 20 87765183; fax: +86 20 87765183.
ABSTRACT