Comparison of conventional sonography, real-time compound sonography, tissue harmonic sonography, and tissue harmonic compound sonography of abdominal and pelvic lesions.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare conventional sonography, real-time spatial compound sonography, tissue harmonic sonography, and tissue harmonic sonography merged with compound sonography for overall image quality, lesion conspicuity, and elimination of artifacts. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. In this study, 150 lesions in 122 randomly selected patients with various abdominal and pelvic lesions were evaluated. For each lesion, sonograms were obtained with four techniques: conventional sonography, real-time spatial compound sonography, tissue harmonic sonography, and tissue harmonic compound sonography. All images were reviewed and graded independently by two observers for overall image quality, lesion conspicuity, and elimination of artifacts.


RESULTS
Statistical analysis showed that for overall image quality, lesion conspicuity, and elimination of artifacts, tissue harmonic compound sonography was significantly superior to all of the other techniques; real-time spatial compound sonography was better than tissue harmonic sonography; and conventional sonography was the least valuable of all (p < 0.001). When data were analyzed separately according to lesion types, tissue harmonic compound sonography was significantly superior for revealing stone diseases, liver cysts, gallbladder polyps, and uterine myomas. For the remainder of lesion groups, spatial compounding was superior to tissue harmonic sonography for all aspects of evaluation, and conventional sonography was the least valuable (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In abdominal and pelvic scanning, tissue harmonic compound sonography provides the best overall image quality, best lesion conspicuity, and least artifacts of all the evaluated imaging modes. Spatial compound sonography is better than tissue harmonic sonography for the evaluation of lesions in general, despite some differences among lesion groups.
Department of Radiology, Gazi University, School of Medicine, Besevler, Ankara 06510, Turkey. ascim@ttnet.net.tr
Suna Ozhan
SO
Oktar
Cem
C
Yücel
Hakan
H
Ozdemir
Asli
A
Ulutürk
Sedat
S
Işik
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005705:Gallbladder Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*