Benign focal liver lesions: spectrum of findings on SonoVue-enhanced pulse-inversion ultrasonography.
The prevalence of benign focal liver lesions (BFLL) is high both in the general population and in patients with known malignancies. The gray-scale ultrasound (US) technique is usually the first-line imaging modality used in the radiological workup of such lesions, but unfortunately it lacks specificity. Furthermore, Doppler examination may often be unsatisfactory owing to motion artefacts, or when small or deeply located lesions are evaluated. Recently, microbubble-based contrast agents used in combination with gray-scale US techniques, which are very sensitive to nonlinear behavior of microbubbles, have led to a better depiction of both microvasculature and macrovasculature of focal hepatic masses, thus improving the reliability of using US in the assessment of liver tumors. This review illustrates the spectrum of enhancement patterns of BFLL on contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with SonoVue, a second-generation microbubble-based contrast agent.
Bartolotta
Tommaso Vincenzo
TV
Department of Radiology, University of Palermo, Via Del Vespro 127, 90127, Palermo, Italy. tv_bartolotta@yahoo.com
Midiri
Massimo
M
Quaia
Emilio
E
Bertolotto
Michele
M
Galia
Massimo
M
Cademartiri
Filippo
F
Lagalla
Roberto
R
Cardinale
Adelfio Elio
AE
D018248:Adenoma, Liver Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D020518:Focal Nodular Hyperplasia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D010743:Phospholipids; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; D014463:Ultrasonography
D003287:Contrast Media; D010743:Phospholipids; C420843:contrast agent BR1; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride