title: Improved imaging of hepatic metastases with delayed pulse inversion harmonic imaging using a contrast agent SH U 508A: preliminary study.
abstract: To investigate the feasibility of delayed pulse-inversion harmonic imaging (PIHI) with the SH U 508A to improve imaging of hepatic metastases, we evaluated 20 patients with known hepatic metastases. Conventional ultrasound (US) was performed before administration, and PIHI was performed 5 min after a bolus injection of 4 G of microbubble contrast agent (300 mg/mL of SH U 508A). Intense, homogeneous enhancement in the liver parenchyma was seen in all patients on delayed PIHI. In 10 patients (50%), 1 or more focal liver lesions that were not seen on unenhanced imaging were detected on delayed PIHI. When comparing 55 lesions that were seen on both techniques, delayed PIHI was superior to unenhanced imaging in terms of lesion conspicuity and lesion-to-liver contrast (p < 0.001, respectively). Delayed PIHI with SH U 508A can improve conspicuity of hepatic metastases and reveal focal liver lesions that are not detected on unenhanced imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: B I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: B Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011134:Polysaccharides; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D011134:Polysaccharides; C059891:SHU 508