Detection and characterization of focal liver lesions with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in patients with hepatitis c-induced liver cirrhosis

Abstract

Our study indicates that the use of CEUS significantly improves diagnostic confidence. CEUS improves the detection of HCC in patients with HCV-induced liver cirrhosis. Also, CEUS makes it possible to rule out malignancy in many cases where baseline US shows indeterminate focal lesions. In low-endemic countries, the use of CEUS in screening for HCC may be considered.

Contrast‐enhanced ultrasound with SonoVue: Differentiation between benign and malignant focal liver lesions in 317 patients

“…41 However, in 30% of the cases, the enhancement in the arterial phase is slower than in the surrounding parenchyma and is followed by homogeneous enhancement in the portal-venous and late phases. The typical CEUS pattern for focal fatty sparing/focal fatty areas is homogeneous iso-enhancement.…”

Detection of focal liver lesions in cirrhotic liver using contrast-enhanced ultrasound

“…All false-positive findings were noted either in high-grade dysplastic nodules or evolving HCCs [34] . CEUS was also found to improve the detection of HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis C related cirrhosis, and it was useful to rule out malignancy in many cases where BUS findings were indeterminate [35] . To increase the specificity of imaging diagnosis, it is mandatory to evaluate contrast washout during the portal venous and the late phases, as recently recommended by the EASL panel of experts on HCC and the AASLD practice guideline [36,37] .…”

Ultrasound contrast: the most important innovation in ultrasound in recent decades

“…In this issue of Acta Radiologica, RAHBIN et al present a retrospective study of 49 hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients with liver cirrhosis, and the authors seem to succeed in differentiating regenerative and dysplastic nodules from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) (1). According to the authors, this is possible due to the difference in blood supply, early arterial enhancement patterns, and washout.…”