Hepatic tumors: contrast agent-enhancement patterns with pulse-inversion harmonic US.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To evaluate contrast agent-enhancement patterns in hepatic hemangiomas, hepatic metastases, and hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) at pulse-inversion harmonic ultrasonography (US) with a microbubble contrast agent.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Twenty hepatic hemangiomas in 20 patients and 41 malignant hepatic tumors in 23 patients (33 metastases and eight HCCs) were evaluated with pulse-inversion harmonic US. US images were obtained before injection and every 10-15 seconds after injection of a 4-g bolus (300 mg/mL) of SH U 508A (a microbubble contrast agent) for 5 minutes. The contrast-enhancement patterns of 61 hepatic lesions were assessed.

RESULTS:

Of 20 hemangiomas, 19 revealed peripheral enhancement, which was globular in 14 (70%) and rimlike in five (25%), with centripetal fill-in; the remaining one (5%) showed homogeneous enhancement. In 33 metastases, the enhancement was rimlike in 16 (48%), homogeneous in seven (21%), and stippled in two (6%); in the remaining eight metastases (24%), no enhancement was seen. Of eight HCCs, four (50%) showed homogeneous enhancement and the remaining four (50%) showed heterogeneous enhancement. Centripetal fill-in of lesions with intratumoral enhancement was not seen in any malignancy.

CONCLUSION:

Pulse-inversion harmonic US with a microbubble contrast agent is potentially useful for the specific diagnosis of hemangiomas that demonstrate characteristic enhancement features.

• Authors: T K Kim, B I Choi, J K Han, H S Hong, S H Park, S G Moon
• Journal: Radiology (Radiology) Vol. 216 Issue 2 Pg. 411-7 (Aug 2000) ISSN: 0033-8419 [Print] United States
• PMID: 10924562 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Contrast Media
• Polysaccharides
• SHU 508

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Carcinoma (diagnostic imaging, secondary)
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (diagnostic imaging)
• Carcinoma, Islet Cell (diagnostic imaging, secondary)
• Contrast Media
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Hemangioma (diagnostic imaging)
• Humans
• Image Enhancement (methods)
• Liver (diagnostic imaging)
• Liver Neoplasms (diagnostic imaging, secondary)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Polysaccharides
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Ultrasonography