Liver tumor characterization--comments and illustrations regarding guidelines.
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a well established diagnostic imaging technique for a variety of indications and applications. One of the most important applications is in the liver where it is frequently a first-line technique for the detection and diagnosis (characterization) of focal liver lesions (FLLs). In this setting the accurate differentiation of benign lesions from malignant lesions is critical to ensure that the patient undergoes the appropriate therapeutic option. In this article the role of CEUS in the characterization of FLLs is described on the basis of recently published guidelines, in particular in terms of the enhancement patterns of the most common FLLs, e. g. hemangioma, focal nodular hyperplasia, hepatocellular adenoma and their differentiation from malignant lesions.
Department of Internal Medicine 2, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Academic Teaching Hospital, University of Würzburg, Bad Mergentheim, Germany.
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Dietrich
D018248:Adenoma, Liver Cell / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D020518:Focal Nodular Hyperplasia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014463:Ultrasonography
D003287:Contrast Media