Assessment of hepatic VX2 tumors of rabbits with second harmonic imaging under high and low acoustic pressures.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the possible clinical application value of second harmonic imaging under low acoustic pressure.


METHODS
Six New Zealand rabbits, averaging 2.7+/-0.4 kg, were selected and operated upon to construct hepatic VX2 tumor carrier model. Hepatic VX2 tumors were imaged with B mode Ultrasonography (US), and second harmonic imaging (SHI) under high mechanic index (1.6) and low mechanic index (0.1). Echo agent was intravenously injected through ear vein at a dose of 0.01 mL/kg under B mode US and high MI SHI, and 0.05 mL/kg under low MI SHI, and then the venous channel was cleaned with sterilized saline. All the images were recorded by magnetic optics (MO), and they were analyzed further by at least two independent experienced sonographers.


RESULTS
Totally 6 hypoechoic and 3 hyperechoic lesions were found in the six carrier rabbits with a mean size about 2.1+/-0.4 under B mode ultrasound, they were oval or round in shape with a clear outline or a hypoechoic halo at the margin of the lesions. Contrast agent could not change the echogenicity of the lesions under B mode US and SHI under high acoustic pressure. However, it could greatly increase the real time visualization sensitivity of the lesions with SHI under low acoustic pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that contrast enhanced SHI with low MI and a bubble non-destructive method would be much more helpful than conventional SHI in our future clinical applications.
Du
Wen-Hua
WH
Department of Ultrasonography, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China. duwenhua001@163.com
Yang
Wei-Xiao
WX
Wang
Xiang
X
Xiong
Xiu-Qin
XQ
Zhou
Yi
Y
Li
Tao
T
D000388:Air; D000818:Animals; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008863:Microspheres; D011817:Rabbits; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods