Reference values for fetal IVS volume using STIC and VOCAL by 3D/4D ultrasound between 18w0d and 33w6d of gestation were determined and showed to be reliable and concordant.
Objective
Focused US examinations of the liver in the routine hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening reduce the time spent on evaluating other structures deemed irrelevant to the clinical setting. It is still unknown, however, if such a strategy may additionally improve the frequency of nodules detection. We aimed to assess the impact of an HCC surveillance program in high‐risk patients by means of targeted liver US following LI‐RADS technical guidelines in comparison to a complete upper abdominal scan.
Methods
In this IRB‐approved, single‐center, prospective study, patients at high‐risk for HCC enrolled from 06/2016 to 09/2019 were randomly assigned to 1 of the 2 institutional protocols: Group A (targeted liver US) or Group B (complete upper abdominal scan). Twenty examiners with similar experience in abdominal US were randomly assigned to perform the examinations exclusively in 1 of the groups (10 in each group). Frequency of hepatic nodules between groups was compared by using Fisher's exact test.
Results
Four hundred and sixty‐five patients were enrolled, with no significant differences in both groups regarding sex, age, etiology of liver disease, MELD scores, and alpha‐fetoprotein levels. A significantly higher frequency of nodules detection was found in Group A (230 patients; 23 nodules detected; 10% of the sample) in comparison to Group B (235 patients; 3 nodules; 1.3% of the sample) (p <.001). Five patients in Group A and 1 in Group B were positive for HCC after full diagnostic work‐up.
Conclusion
Adopting an HCC screening program based on targeted liver US improved the detection of hepatic nodules among high‐risk individuals.
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