title: [Characterization of focal liver lesions using an innovative contrast-enhanced ultrasound technique].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical performance of an innovative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) technique in characterization of focal liver lesions (FLL).
  
  
  METHODS
  CEUS was performed in 505 patients with FLLs. A sulfur hexafluoride-filled microbubble ultrasound contrast agent and a continuous real-time imaging technique of contrast pulse sequencing were used. The observation items included initial nodule enhancement time, enhancement level and pattern, and dynamic evolution of enhancement along with the CEUS phases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were similar findings for both malignant and benign FLLs in initial enhancement time and enhancement level on CEUS. The dynamic evolution of enhancement along with enhancement phase was the most significant parameter for characterization of FLLs. Most malignant lesions showed enhancement at arterial phase and hypo-enhancing at late phase, whereas the benign lesions presented enhancement at arterial phase and persistent hyper- or iso-enhancing until late phase. Using these characteristics as a diagnostic criteria, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predicative value, negative predicative value and accuracy of CEUS in identifying malignant FLLs were 95.7% (313/327), 86.0% (153/178), 92.6% (313/338), 91.6% (153/167) and 92.3% (466/505), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Characterization of FLLs by using the innovative CEUS technique is recommendable due to its safety, facility and high accuracy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ultrasonics, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors.forename: Hui-xiong
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Guang-jian
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ming-de
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Xiao-yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Zuo-feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yan-ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jin-yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride