title: Arterial-phase contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for evaluating anti-angiogenesis treatment: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify whether arterial-phase contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) of tumor parenchymal tissue is useful for evaluation of anti-angiogenesis agents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rabbits with liver tumor were subjected to CEUS, and images of the nodular maximal diameter in vascular phase were recorded. Image analysis was performed to plot the time intensity curve (TIC) at the tumor parenchyma, which set the diameter of the region of interest of intensity measurement. The TIC was calculated to obtain the time to peak intensity (TPI) and the magnitude of PI. Rabbits were randomly assigned to a treatment group with sorafenib and a control group. Two weeks later, the same ultrasound examination was repeated followed by pathological testing to assess the effect of sorafenib on the liver tumor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In four rabbits in the treatment group, the rate of change of tumor size was decreased compared with that of the control (the rate 2.3 vs 7.9, P = 0.02). The TPI of the treatment group elongated significantly (the rate 3.1 vs 1.1, P = 0.07 for SonoVue, 2.0 vs 0.88, P = 0.09 for Sonazoid). The magnitude of PI showed no significant changes. In pathological examination, capillary diameters in the treatment group were significantly smaller than those in the control group (26.4 vs 42.8 μm, P = 0.013).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Analysis of the TIC in the arterial phase of tumor tissue could evaluate the efficacy of anti-angiogenesis drug treatment in liver tumor.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, Japan. keiyoshida01@gmail.com
authors: Keiko
authors: K
authors: Yoshida
authors: Tomihiko
authors: T
authors: Hirokawa
authors: Fuminori
authors: F
authors: Moriyasu
authors: Longzhong
authors: L
authors: Liu
authors: Guang-Jian
authors: GJ
authors: Liu
authors: Masahiko
authors: M
authors: Yamada
authors: Yasuharu
authors: Y
authors: Imai
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D003287:Contrast Media