title: Usefulness of the post-vascular phase of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with sonazoid in the evaluation of gross types of hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of post-vascular phase (PVP) images of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CE-US) in the evaluation of the gross types of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that is closely related to the malignant potential of the tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 29 patients with 40 HCCs of <5 cm in diameter, who underwent hepatic resection, were enrolled. The gross type of the tumor was evaluated using real-time scanning during the PVP of CE-US with Sonazoid prior to surgery. The tumors were classified into three types based on the macroscopic classification of the Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan: single nodular (SN) type, single nodular with extranodular growth (SNEG) type, and confluent multinodular (CMN) type. The ability of CE-US to correctly depict the gross type of HCC was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  26 tumors were macroscopically diagnosed as the SN type, 11 tumors as the SNEG type, and 3 tumors as the CMN type. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of CE-US were 96, 80 and 90%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PVP image of CE-US with Sonazoid is a useful tool in the evaluation of the gross type of HCC and is considered essential in deciding treatment strategy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kinuyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hatanaka
authors.forename: Hobyung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haji
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.forename: Sousuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayaishi
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takita
authors.forename: Kanae
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: Taisuke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tatsumi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitai
authors.forename: Emi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Norihisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yada
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.forename: Kazuomi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ueshima
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010087:Oxides; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D010087:Oxides; C069727:Sonazoid; D007501:Iron