title: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound after devascularisation of neuroendocrine liver metastases: functional and morphological evaluation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate morphological and perfusion changes in liver metastases of neuroendocrine tumours by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) after transarterial embolisation with bead block (TAE) or trans-arterial chemoembolisation with doxorubicin-eluting beads (DEB-TACE).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, seven patients underwent TAE, and ten underwent DEB-TACE using beads of the same size. At 1 day before embolisation, 2 days, 1 month and 3 months after the procedure, a destruction-replenishment study using CEUS was performed with a microbubble-enhancing contrast material on a reference tumour. Relative blood flow (rBF) and relative blood volume (rBV) were obtained from the ratio of values obtained in the tumour and in adjacent liver parenchyma. Morphological parameters such as the tumour's major diameter and the viable tumour's major diameter were also measured. A parameter combining functional and morphological data, the tumour vitality index (TVI), was studied. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Fisher's test were used to compare treatment groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 3 months rBF, rBV and TVI were significantly lower (P = 0.005, P = 0.04 and P = 0.03) for the group with doxorubicin. No difference in morphological parameters was found throughout the follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One parameter, TVI, could evaluate the morphological and functional response to treatments.
authors.affiliation: Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Service d'Imagerie Digestive, 69437 Lyon cedex 03, France. aymeric.guibal@gmail.com
authors.forename: Aymeric
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guibal
authors.forename: Thibaud
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lefort
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chardon
authors.forename: Noura
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Benslama
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mulé
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pilleul
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lombard-Bohas
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bridal
authors.forename: Jean Alain
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Chayvialle
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lucidarme
authors.forename: Alban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Denys
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walter
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000628:therapy*; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D010743:Phospholipids; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D010743:Phospholipids; C420843:contrast agent BR1; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride