Contrast media-enhanced power Doppler sonography for evaluation of hemangiomas and malignant tumors in the liver.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the characterization of liver hemangiomas and malignant tumors using power Doppler sonography before and after intravenous injection of a sonocontrast agent.


METHODS
Forty-five patients with 57 liver tumors (22 hemangiomas, 24 metastases, 10 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) and one cholangiocellular carcinoma) were examined prospectively. The distribution (peripheral, central, mosaic) and extent (none, minimal, moderate and strong) of intratumoral flow pattern in each sonographic examination was subjectively classified.


RESULTS
The administration of the sonocontrast agent by bolus injection caused enhancement to gradually increase up to 2 min and lasted for 4-5 min. After injection of contrast agent, flow signals appeared or increased in 34 tumors. No signal enhancement was observed in 18 hemangiomas, four metastases and one HCC. The sensitivity and specificity of intratumoral vascularity for the detection of malignant liver tumors was 37.1 and 90.9% for unenhanced power Doppler sonography, and 85.7 and 81.8% for contrast-enhanced power Doppler sonography, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Contrast-enhanced power Doppler sonography is superior to unenhanced power Doppler sonography in the demonstration of malignant tumor vascularity, and is helpful in differentiating between hemangiomas and malignant liver tumors. A specific flow pattern within the tumor is not established in primary and metastatic malignant tumors with contrast-enhanced power Doppler sonography.
Karabacakoglu
Aydin
A
Departments of Radiology and Internal Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey.
Karakose
Serdar
S
Cil
Ahmet Said
AS
Kaya
Ahmet
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler
D003287:Contrast Media