Focal liver lesions: evaluation with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography.
The development of contrast agents for ultrasound has significantly extended its clinical applications, particularly in the detection and characterization of focal liver lesions. Real-time evaluation of the vascular phase currently can be achieved by combining new microbubble-specific methods with second-generation contrast agents. The enhancement pattern in the vascular phase combined with the behavior in the liver-specific late phase allows characterization of the most frequent focal liver lesions, with an accuracy similar to those of dynamic computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
Nicolau
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Imaging Diagnosis Center, Clinic Hospital, University of Barcelona, Villarroel 170, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. cnicolau@clinic.ub.es
Brú
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D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010743:Phospholipids; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; D014463:Ultrasonography
D003287:Contrast Media; D010743:Phospholipids; C420843:contrast agent BR1; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride