title: Ultrasonography fusion imaging system increases the chance of radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma with poor conspicuity on conventional ultrasonography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the usefulness of the ultrasonography (US) fusion imaging system for radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Since the US fusion imaging system became available in 2010, we have conducted RFA with this system in all cases. The characteristics of 75 patients with 120 HCCs and 89 patients with 123 HCCs who underwent RFA before the introduction of this system (period A) and after it (period B), respectively, were retrospectively compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant difference in the characteristics of the patients and HCCs between the two periods was found only in the proportion of HCCs with poor conspicuity on grayscale US treated with RFA (1.7%, 2/120 for period A vs. 15.4%, 19/123 for period B, p < 0.01). Among the 19 HCCs with poor conspicuity on grayscale US for period B, 5 and 9 HCCs were identified on grayscale US and contrast-enhanced US, respectively, by the use of the US fusion imaging system, whereas the 5 remaining undetectable HCCs were treated by using the system in conjunction with reference images displayed side-by-side with grayscale US.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since the introduction of the US fusion imaging system, it has become possible to perform RFA for HCCs with poor conspicuity on grayscale US.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Ikeda Municipal Hospital, Ikeda, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Yuki
authors: Y
authors: Makino
authors: Yasuharu
authors: Y
authors: Imai
authors: Hideko
authors: H
authors: Ohama
authors: Takumi
authors: T
authors: Igura
authors: Sachiyo
authors: S
authors: Kogita
authors: Yoshiyuki
authors: Y
authors: Sawai
authors: Kazuto
authors: K
authors: Fukuda
authors: Manabu
authors: M
authors: Takamura
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Ohashi
authors: Takamichi
authors: T
authors: Murakami
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003287:Contrast Media; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007501:Iron; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010087:Oxides; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D010087:Oxides; C069727:Sonazoid; C073590:gadolinium ethoxybenzyl DTPA; D007501:Iron; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA