title: Ultrasound detection of spontaneous hepato-cellular carcinomas in X/myc bitransgenic mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate trans-abdominal ultrasound for the detection of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a bitrasgenic murine (X/myc) model using a commercially available high-frequency ultrasound unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-one female animals were included in this study. These animals were submitted to a single ultrasound examination of the liver under general anesthesia (isoflurane), and then euthanized. Results of ultrasound were compared with necropsy and histopathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lesions demonstrated a fairly consistent aspect (oval- or round-shaped, well-defined hypoechoic homogeneous lesions), and lesions as small as 2 mm were identified. For detection of hepatic nodules per mouse the sensitivity was 75%, the specificity was 100% and the accuracy was 88.5%. For detection of hepatic focal lesions per lesions the overall sensitivity was 60%, the specificity was 97%, and the accuracy was 75.9%. Contrast-enhanced harmonic ultrasound imaging did not improve the identification of the lesions in our experimental conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-frequency ultrasound appears to be an efficient tool allowing new possibilities to use this animal model and evaluate new therapies in longitudinal studies, which are much more powerful.
authors.affiliation: ANIMAGE - Rhone-Alpes Genopole, Batiment CERMEP, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barraud
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lefrancois
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Scoazec
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guerret
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vray
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Merle
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vitvitski-Trepo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trepo
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Janier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D016259:Genes, myc / Q000235:genetics; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography