title: [CEUS--a robust method in daily clinical practice? A six month retrospective analysis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  CEUS is a relatively new imaging method with growing use and broadening applications. It shows excellent accuracy with high negative and positive predictive values under study conditions. It is not well known, whether the study results can be reproduced in daily clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of all consecutive CEUS-exams at our institution during a six month period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  68% of CEUS-exams were of the liver. 83% (197 exams) concerned the characterisation of focal lesions. 95% of focal lesions could be clarified via CEUS. In 44% of the exams, CEUS changed the diagnosis of B-mode-US, in 74% of exams, CEUS was the final imaging method. We found a 64% concordance to cross sectional imaging and a 77% concordance to histology, when available.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CEUS performance in daily clinical practice is comparable to controlled study conditions. CEUS is therefore a robust imaging method.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik II, Klinikum Heilbronn. guenter.schiele@slk-kliniken.de
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schiele
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Weickert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D014781:Viscera / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media