title: The value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in detecting minute renal cell carcinoma.
abstract: To investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the detection of minute renal cell carcinoma (MRCC) compared to conventional ultrasound (US) and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight consecutive patients with 38 histopathologically proven MRCCs (≦15 mm) were enrolled in our study. CEUS and CECT were available in 38 and 24 patients, respectively. The features of CEUS were evaluated and compared to conventional ultrasound (US) and CECT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten (26.3%) tumors could not be detected by conventional US, while all tumors were detected by CEUS. The features of tumor border, blood flow, and echogenicity had significant difference between conventional US and CEUS (p=0.000, p=0.003, and p=0.012, respectively). The score of visibility of tumors by CEUS was significant higher than that of conventional US. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of conventional US and CEUS in evaluating tumor necrosis were 42.9%, 50%, and 47.4% vs. 85.7%, 95.8%, and 92.1%, respectively. The enhancement features of MRCC including tumor vascularization, homogeneity, and border had no significant difference between CEUS and CECT (all p>0.05). On CEUS, synchronous-in (89.5%), hypervascular (84.2%), and fast-out (71.1%) were the most commonly observed enhancement characteristics for MRCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CEUS performs better in detecting MRCC than conventional US, and it has the same capabilities in reflecting the enhanced features of MRCC as CECT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
authors.forename: Cui-xian
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Bei-jian
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Li-yun
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Li-xia
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Jie-xian
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Wen-ping
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media