title: Characterization of focal hepatic lesions in cirrhotic patients by Pulse Inversion Harmonic Imaging US contrast specific technique with Levovist.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the capabilities of Pulse Inversion Harmonic Imaging (PIHI) with hepatospecific US contrast agent Levovist in the characterization of focal liver lesions in cirrhotic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine focal hepatic lesions in 25 consecutive cirrhotic patients identified by conventional ultrasound (US), were evaluated by color Doppler (CD), power Doppler (PD) with spectral analysis of tumoural vessels and PIHI. PIHI was performed 30 seconds (vascular phase) and 3-5 minutes (late phase) after Levovist injection. To definitely characterize the evaluated focal hepatic lesions, helical-CT (HCT) enhancement patterns (15 patients) and/or surgical/bioptic histologic findings (10 patients) were considered as reference procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty focal hepatic lesions classified as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by reference procedures appeared hypoechoic (n=19), isoechoic (n=5) or hyperechoic (n=6) on conventional US, with basket arterial pattern (n=10), vessels within the tumor (n=6), peripheral arterial pattern (n=4) or no vascular pattern (n=10) on CD/PD evaluation. On PIHI they appeared hyperechoic (n=26) or isoechoic (n=4) in the vascular phase, if compared to the surrounding liver parenchyma, and hypoechoic (n=23) or isoechoic (n=7) in the late phase. Four focal hepatic lesions classified as regenerative nodules (RNs) by reference procedures appeared hypoechoic on conventional US, with peripheral venous/arterial pattern (n=1) or no vascular pattern (n=3) on CD/PD. On PIHI they appeared hypoechoic (n=3) or isoechoic (n=1) in the vascular phase, remaining prevalently hypoechoic (n=3) or isoechoic (n=1) in the late phase. Five focal hepatic lesions classified as hemangioma by reference procedures appeared hyperechoic (n=4) or hypoechoic (n=1) on conventional US with few peripheral venous vessels on CD/PD. On PIHI they revealed progressive fill-in from the periphery toward the centre during the vascular and late phase after Levovist injection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PIHI seems to be a reliable technique to characterize focal lesions in cirrhotic patients.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Radiologia, Ospedale di Cattinara, Università degli Studi, Trieste, Italy. equaia@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Quaia
authors.forename: Balázs
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Forgács
authors.forename: Loretta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calderan
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bertolotto
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pozzi Mucelli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011134:Polysaccharides; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D011134:Polysaccharides; C059891:SHU 508