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01-06-2004 | Hepatobiliary-Pancreas

Evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma using SonoVue, a second generation ultrasound contrast agent: correlation with cellular differentiation

Authors: Carlos Nicolau, Violeta Catalá, Ramón Vilana, Rosa Gilabert, Luis Bianchi, Manel Solé, Mario Pagés, Concepció Brú

Published in: European Radiology | Issue 6/2004

Abstract

The appearance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the vascular phase is described and evaluated as to whether the enhancement pattern correlates with the degree of cellular differentiation. One hundred four HCCs were prospectively evaluated with CEUS using coherent-contrast imaging (CCI) and SonoVue with a low mechanical index (<0.2). The enhancement of HCCs in the vascular phase was analyzed according to the degree of pathological differentiation obtained by fine-needle biopsy. In the arterial phase, all HCCs except for four well differentiated ones (96.2%) showed enhancement (P<0.05). Histological differentiation of hypoechoic lesions in the early portal phase (7 HCCs; 16%) significantly differed from hyperechoic (1 HCC; 1%) or isoechoic lesions (87 HCCs; 83.6%) (P<0.05), with a significant probability of a worse differentiation in hypoechoic lesions. Histological differentiation of isoechoic lesions in the late phase (30 HCCs; 28.8%) significantly differed from hypoechoic lesions (74 HCCs; 71.2%) (P<0.05), with a significant probability of a better differentiation in isoechoic lesions. CEUS using CCI and SonoVue revealed enhancement in the arterial phase in >95% of HCCs, with a few well-differentiated cases not being diagnosed due to the absence of enhancement. Echogenicity in the portal and late phases correlated with cellular differentiation.

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Title: Evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma using SonoVue, a second generation ultrasound contrast agent: correlation with cellular differentiation
Authors: Carlos Nicolau
Violeta Catalá
Ramón Vilana
Rosa Gilabert
Luis Bianchi
Manel Solé
Mario Pagés
Concepció Brú
Publication date: 01-06-2004
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: European Radiology / Issue 6/2004
Print ISSN: 0938-7994
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1084
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-004-2298-0

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma using SonoVue, a second generation ultrasound contrast agent: correlation with cellular differentiation

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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