title: Microbubble disappearance-time is the appropriate timing for liver-specific imaging after injection of Levovist.
abstract: Contrast enhancement in the portal vein was repeatedly observed at 1 min intervals with wide-band Doppler ultrasonography in 152 consecutive patients (132 with liver cirrhosis and HCC, 20 controls), 5 min after the injection of Levovist. The duration time of contrast enhancement in the portal vein (microbubble disappearance-time; MD-T) was measured in all patients and contrast-enhanced appearances were compared between the 5 min phase and MD-T phase in 68 HCC nodules. MD-T in patients with liver cirrhosis (572.4 +/- 117.9 s) was significantly longer than in controls (481.6 +/- 89.3 s, p < 0.05). MD-T was prolonged in patients with Child B and C compared with Child A (p < 0.05). The contrast-enhanced appearances between the two phases were different in 30 of 68 HCC nodules (44.1%), showing positive enhancement in the 5 min phase and negative enhancement in the MD-T phase. The proposed MD-T may become an essential factor for the evaluation of liver-specific sonograms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Clinical Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. maru-cib@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsutani
authors.forename: Hidehiro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okugawa
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshizumi
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebara
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saisho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D045423:Microbubbles; D008875:Middle Aged; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D011134:Polysaccharides; C059891:SHU 508