title: Quantitative diagnosis of early-stage liver cirrhosis with contrast-enhanced ultrasound--a clinical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the quantitative diagnosis value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for early-stage liver cirrhosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 15 healthy subjects and 15 patients with cirrhosis were recruited into the present study, and the hepatic artery, portal vein, hepatic vein and liver parenchyma were dynamically monitored under ultrasonography and then qualified with the QLAB time-intensity curve to obtain the arriving time (AT) and the peak time (PT) of the hepatic artery, portal vein, hepatic vein and liver parenchyma. The hepatic artery to hepatic vein transit time (HA-HVTT = HVAT-HAAT) and portal vein to hepatic vein transit time (PV-HVTT = HVAT-PVAT) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The AT of the hepatic vein was significantly shorter than that in controls (P < 0.01); the HA-HVTT and PV-HVTT in cirrhosis patients were also significantly shorter than those in controls (P < 0.01). However, the PT in patients was significantly prolonged when compared with controls (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The AT of the hepatic vein, the transit time of the liver and the PT of liver parenchyma can be used as non-invasive indicators in the quantitative diagnosis of early-stage liver cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, 2nd Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Xing-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guo-Chang
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Cheng-Gong
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Lei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D003287:Contrast Media; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008102:Liver Circulation; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010743:Phospholipids; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; D013997:Time Factors; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D010743:Phospholipids; C420843:contrast agent BR1; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride