title: [Value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging in monitoring malignant tumor during argon-helium cryosurgery].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging in monitoring the therapeutic effect of argon-helium cryosurgical treatment of malignant tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Before and after argon-helium cryosurgical treatment, 42 patients underwent contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging, conventional ultrasound imaging and enhanced CT or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for examining the number of tumor foci and the size of necrotic areas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 80 tumor lesions were detected by contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging. Compared with conventional ultrasound imaging, contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging detected a significantly greater number of tumors and the intratumoral necrotic areas (96 vs 19) as well as a significantly increased mean size of necrotic areas (5.7∓3.6 cm vs 2.8∓1.7 cm), showing no significant differences from the results by enhanced CT and MRI (94 and 5.5∓3.3 cm, P=0.872 and 0.978, respectively). The short-term therapeutic effect of argon-helium cryosurgery evaluated by contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging were also similar to that assessed by enhanced CT or MRI (P=0.906).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging has important values in monitoring malignant tumors during argon-helium cryosurgical treatment and in evaluating the short-term therapeutic effect of the treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasonography, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. lmeihong@ fimmu.com
authors.forename: Hong-mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Su-ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Li-xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Su-shu
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hao-rong
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001128:Argon; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006371:Helium; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D006371:Helium; D001128:Argon