title: Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography of hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation between quantitative parameters and histological grading.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The quantitative parameters in the contrast-enhanced ultrasonography time-intensity curve of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were studied to explore their possible implication for histological grading of HCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 130 HCC patients (115 males and 15 females; age: 48.13±11.00 years) were studied using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography time-intensity curve and histological pathology. The quantification software Sonoliver® (TomTec Imaging Systems, Unterschleissheim, Germany) was applied to derive time-intensity curves of regions of interest in the interior of HCCs and in reference. Quantitative parameters of 115 patients were successfully obtained, including maximum of intensity (IMAX), rise time (RT), time to peak (TTP), rise slope (RS) and washout time (WT). Histological grading of HCC was performed using haematoxylin-eosin staining, and monoclonal antibodies specific for smooth muscle actin were used to observe unpaired arteries (UAs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences among WTs in the three differentiated HCC groups (p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences among RT, TTP, RS and IMAX in the differentiated HCC groups. Moreover, the number of UAs in the differentiated HCC groups showed no statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  WT plays an important role in predicting well, moderately and poorly differentiated HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China & Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: X Q
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: L Z
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
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