Utility of contrast-enhanced ultrasound with perflubutane for diagnosing the macroscopic type of small nodular hepatocellular carcinomas.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To clarify the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with perflubutane in the macroscopic classification of small nodular hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs).

METHODS:

A total of 99 surgically resected nodular HCCs with a maximum diameter of 3 cm or less were analysed. HCCs were macroscopically categorized as simple nodular (SN) and non-SN. CEUS findings were evaluated during the arterial phase (vascularity, level and shape of enhancement), portal phase (presence or absence of washout) and post-vascular phase (echo intensity and shape).

RESULTS:

Sixty-eight HCCs were categorized as SN and the remaining 31 were categorized as non-SN. For diagnosis of non-SN HCC, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (A z) value for the shape of enhancement in the late arterial phase and the shape of the post-vascular image were 0.824 (95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.721-0.895) and 0.878 (95 % CI 0.788-0.933), respectively. The A z value for the combination of the shape of enhancement in the late arterial phase and the shape of the post-vascular image for the diagnosis of non-SN HCC was 0.907 (95 % CI 0.815-0.956), corresponding to a high diagnostic value.

CONCLUSION:

CEUS can provide high-quality imaging assessment for determining the macroscopic classification of small nodular HCCs.

KEY POINTS:

• Non-SN is one of the poor prognostic factors in patients with HCC • Assessment of macroscopic type provides valuable information for the management of HCC • CEUS can provide high-quality imaging assessment for macroscopic classification of HCC • For non-SN HCC diagnosed using CEUS, hepatectomy is preferred as curative treatment.

• Authors: Toshifumi Tada, Takashi Kumada, Hidenori Toyoda, Takanori Ito, Yasuhiro Sone, Yuji Kaneoka, Atsuyuki Maeda, Seiji Okuda, Katsuhiko Otobe, Kenichi Takahashi
• Journal: European radiology (Eur Radiol) Vol. 24 Issue 9 Pg. 2157-66 (Sep 2014) ISSN: 1432-1084 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 24952601 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Fluorocarbons
• perfluorobutane

Topics

• Aged
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (diagnostic imaging, pathology, surgery)
• Female
• Fluorocarbons
• Follow-Up Studies
• Hepatectomy
• Humans
• Image Enhancement (methods)
• Liver (diagnostic imaging, pathology, surgery)
• Liver Neoplasms (diagnostic imaging, pathology, surgery)
• Male
• ROC Curve
• Retrospective Studies
• Ultrasonography