Enhancement of hepatic hemangiomas with levovist on coded harmonic angiographic ultrasonography.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the pattern of contrast enhancement with Levovist on coded harmonic angiographic ultrasonography of hepatic hemangiomas.


METHODS
Twenty hemangiomas were evaluated with coded harmonic angiographic ultrasonography and a microbubble contrast agent. Verification of the diagnosis of a hemangioma was made by means of dynamic computed tomography (n = 8), dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (n = 1), radionuclide scanning (n = 6), or follow-up ultrasonography (n = 5). Ultrasonographic images were obtained before contrast agent administration and with a bolus injection of 2.5 g of a microbubble contrast agent (300 mg/mL Levovist; Schering AG, Berlin, Germany) every 10 to 15 seconds for 5 minutes. The contrast enhancement patterns of the 20 hemangiomas were assessed.


RESULTS
The tumor diameters as measured on ultrasonography were 7 to 97 mm (mean, 26.7 mm). Of the 20 hemangiomas, peripheral globular enhancement with progressive centripetal fill-in was shown in 15 (75%), rimlike enhancement with progressive centripetal fill-in was shown in 2 (10%), and homogeneous enhancement was shown in 1 (5%). In the remaining 2 lesions (10%), the enhancement patterns could not be seen, because they were not found on coded harmonic angiographic ultrasonography.


CONCLUSIONS
Coded harmonic angiographic ultrasonography with a microbubble contrast agent can depict the typical enhancement pattern in most hepatic hemangiomas.
Kim
Jung Hoon
JH
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Tae Kyoung
TK
Kim
Bong Soo
BS
Eun
Hyo Won
HW
Kim
Pyo Nyun
PN
Lee
Moon-Gyu
MG
Ha
Hyun Kwon
HK
D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011134:Polysaccharides; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
D003287:Contrast Media; D011134:Polysaccharides; C059891:SHU 508