Hemangiomas and focal nodular hyperplasia images in contrast-enhanced, wide-band phase-inversion harmonic power Doppler imaging.
BACKGROUND
Contrast-enhanced, wide-band, phase inversion power Doppler sonography in the depiction of vasculature in hemangioma and focal nodular hyperplasia.


METHODS
Fifty-one patients with liver lesions (40 FNHs,37 hemangiomas) were prospectively evaluated with conventional, color, power Doppler sonography, tissue harmonic, phase-inversion sonography and helical CT. Levovist was the standard contrast agent used and all examinations were performed on Siemens SONOLINE Elegra equipped with Ensemble Contrast Imaging (ECI) software.


RESULTS
Color and power Doppler scans were frequently not specific for these highly vasularized lesions. Images were not suggestive in 15 out of 40 FNHs and not positive in all of 37 hemangiomas). If peripheral enhancement in form of puddle enhancement, 'bloo pools' or rimlike followed by a slow centripetal fill-in is regarded as a positive finding for hemangiomas all lesions were depicted confidently with wide-band, phase inversion, contrast enhanced power Doppler scans. Moreover, all typical vascularity features of FNHs confluence firstly the feeding artery then centrifugal spread of contrast later forming wheel like pattern was obvious in all cases of diagnosed FNHs.


CONCLUSIONS
Contrast-enhanced, wide-band, PI ,power Doppler imaging is useful method for diagnosing the vascularity of FNHs and hemangiomas. Not only it overcomes the low prediction rate which was the main obstacle for routine use of sonography but it is cheap, portable, and free also from contrast media and radiation.
Janica
Jacek
J
Department of Radiology, Medical University of Bialystok, Białystok, Poland. jrjanica@wp.pl
Serwatka
Wojciech
W
Polaków
Jerzy
J
Ustymowicz
Andrzej
A
Łebkowska
Urszula
U
Kordecki
Kazimierz
K
Walecki
Jerzy
J
Polaków
Piotr
P
Dobrzycki
Sławomir
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D020518:Focal Nodular Hyperplasia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
D003287:Contrast Media