Contrast-enhanced ultrasound of hepatocellular carcinoma: Correlation of washout time and angiogenesis.
BACKGROUND
The use of the pure blood pool ultrasound contrast agent SonoVue (Bracco, Italy) with specific ultrasound imaging software has enabled the dynamic visualization of tumor microcirculation.


OBJECTIVE
The present study was designed to investigate the washout time of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and correlate it with angiogenesis parameters.


METHODS
Thirty-one surgically confirmed HCC cases were prospectively evaluated with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and parameters such as wash-in time, peak enhancement time and washout time were determined offline. We also calculated microvessel density and the percentage of microvessel area (MVA) and compared CEUS parameters between a well differentiated group and a poorly to moderately differentiated group. The Spearman rank order correlation method was used to analyze the relationship between washout time and angiogenesis parameters.


RESULTS
The washout time was longer in well differentiated HCC patients compared to those with poorly to moderately differentiated HCC (p < 0.05). In addition, the washout time of HCC was positively correlated with the percentage of MVA (r = 0.510).


CONCLUSIONS
Given that the percentage of MVA was positively correlated with tumor blood volume, washout time may be associated with HCC blood volume.
Department of Ultrasound, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Beijing, China.
Y
Y
Xia
Y X
YX
Jiang
Q
Q
Dai
Y
Y
Xiao
K
K
Lv
L
L
Wang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D045423:Microbubbles; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010743:Phospholipids; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
D003287:Contrast Media; D010743:Phospholipids; C420843:contrast agent BR1; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride