Clinical Studies Of Ultrasound Imaging Of Focal Liver Lesions

Objective: To evaluate the value of clinical application of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in diagnosing of focal liver lesions with diameter≤3cmMethods: Forty patients of focal liver lesions with diameter≤3cm were detected respectively by contrast-enhanced ultrasound and contrast-enhanced CT/MRI. The accuracy of diagnosis and differential diagnosis and the correlation of it between the contrast-enhanced ultrasound and contrast-enhanced CT/MRI were comparative (including 20 hepatic cellular carcinomas, 8 liver metastasis,1 lymphoma, 6 hemangiomas,2 regenerative nodules, 2 focal nodular hyperplasias,1 fatty infiltration) . Twenty-one patients of those were proved by operation or biopsy.Results: The accuracy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and contrast-enhanced CT / MRI were 80%,82.5% , respectely. No statistically significant difference was found between CEUS and CECT/MRI in the characterization of FLL (p>0.05). Agreement between CEUS and CECT/MRI was good (k=0.69). In addition, we concluded that primary hepatic cellular carcinomas and liver metastasis can be diagnosed differentially with CEUS by analyzing contrast-enhanced phase. The costs of CEUS were lower than CECT / MRI, in line with the requirements of pharmacoeconomics, which can reduce the burden on patients.Conclusions: CEUS and CECT / MRI have the same clinical practical value in diagnosing of focal liver lesions with diameter≤3cm. CEUS has the advantages of simple and rapid, real-time dynamic, non-radioactive and relatively inexpensive, So it can be used as an alternative differential diagnosis tool in focal liver lesions with the diameter≤3cm Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in monitoring HIFU procedure in patients with hepatic cellular carcinoma in comparison with contrast-enhanced CT/ MRI.Methods: HIFU therapies were performed on 26 patients, including 15 patients performed TACE before HIFU. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound and contrast-enhanced CT / MRI were performed to assessing the treatment response·Results: Twenty of 26 lesions were not enhanced with contrast-enhanced ultrasound, Partial enhancement were demonstrated in six lesions. Twenty-three of 26 lesions were not enhanced with contrast -enhanced CT/MRI. Partial enhancement were demonstrated in 3 lesions. The sensitivity and accuracy were 83.3%,92.3% for contrast-enhanced ultrasound and 75%,92.3% for contrast-enhanced CT/MRI (p>0.05). There were no significant differences between contrast-enhanced ultrasound and contrast-enhanced CT / MRI.Conclusions: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound is similar to contrast-enhanced CT / MRI in assessing the HIFU or TACE treatment response in hepatic cellular carcinomas. It is a sensitive and effective method in monitoring the HIFU or TACE treatment response in hepatic cellular carcinomas.