Brain perfusion imaging of a craniopharyngioma by transcranial duplex sonography.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to test a new ultrasound software tool to assess pathological perfusion in a brain tumor patient.


METHODS
Tissue harmonic imaging (THI) enables an improved depiction of brain morphology, employing nonlinear parenchyma and ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) backscatter information. With specialized software, morphological information can be separated from perfusion information. Both can be superimposed at a preferred mixing ratio in a single image.


RESULTS
Using THI and a perfluoropropane-based UCA, a pathologic perfusion pattern described by abnormal perfused areas in the tumor region could be demonstrated. After superimposing morphologic and perfusion information, subtle structural tumor inhomogeneities were depicted. Craniopharyngioma structure and perfusion defect were confirmed by T2-weighted and perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.


CONCLUSIONS
Transcranial duplex sonography in combination with contrast specific imaging methods might be helpful to visualize perfusion defects without loss of morphological information.
Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, Medical Center, 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103-8756, USA. thoelscher@ucsd.edu
Thilo
T
Hölscher
Bogdan
B
Draganski
Thomas
T
Postert
Ulrich
U
Bogdahn
Wilko
W
Wilkening
D000328:Adult; D000418:Albumins; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D003287:Contrast Media; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006801:Humans; D008863:Microspheres; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial / Q000379:methods
D000418:Albumins; D003287:Contrast Media; C099458:FS 069; D005466:Fluorocarbons