Contrast enhanced ultrasound with second generation contrast agent for the follow-up of lower-extremity muscle-strain-repairing processes in professional athletes.
OBJECTIVE
In literature, ultrasonographic potentials in traumatic muscle lesions have been codified, whereas the data about this method utility in follow-up are dissonant. The purpose of this work is to evaluate a second-generation ultrasound (US) contrast agent rule for the professional athletes' distractive lesions.


METHODS
Twenty professional athletes (18 men and two women, aged between 18 and 34 years) affected by different muscle lesions were examined. All the patients were evaluated within 48 h of the trauma by US device Esaote Technos MPX with a high-frequency linear probe. The examinations were carried out with and without contrast agent after 20, 40 and 60 days after the trauma; second-generation contrast agent was used (SonoVue).


RESULTS
In all athletes (nine first-grade lesions, 11 second-grade lesions), by using contrast agent intravenous injection done after 20 days, the appearance of contrast spots affecting part or all the lesioned area were observed. During the follow-up, after 40 days. the contrast spots widened to include the entire scar area, with haemorrhagic residual in three cases. After 60 days, in no case was a liquid haemorrhagic collection still present, and we found an important reduction of extension of vascular spots and US intensity and their total disappearance in seven cases.


CONCLUSIONS
US with a second-generation contrast agent, thanks to the neoangiogenesis identification, allows recognition, individuation and monitoring the repair processes in the muscle lesion and allows estimation of when athletes can return to competitive activity. This fact obviously reduces both relapses and complications.
Cattedra di Radiologia, Università dell'Insubria-Ospedale di Circolo, Fond. Macchi, Via Borri 57, I-21100 Varese, Italy. eugegeno@tin.it
E A
EA
Genovese
L
L
Callegari
F
F
Combi
A
A
Leonardi
M G
MG
Angeretti
F
F
Benazzo
F
F
D'Angelo
C
C
Fugazzola
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010743:Phospholipids; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; D014463:Ultrasonography
D003287:Contrast Media; D010743:Phospholipids; C420843:contrast agent BR1; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride