title: Local ablation therapy with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for hepatocellular carcinoma: a practical review.
abstract: A successful program for local ablation therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) requires extensive imaging support for diagnosis and localization of HCC, imaging guidance for the ablation procedures, and post-treatment monitoring. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) has several advantages over computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (CT/MRI), including real-time imaging capability, sensitive detection of arterial-phase hypervascularity and washout, no renal excretion, no ionizing radiation, repeatability, excellent patient compliance, and relatively low cost. CEUS is useful for image guidance for isoechoic lesions. While contrast-enhanced CT/MRI is the standard method for the diagnosis of HCC and post-ablation monitoring, CEUS is useful when CT/MRI findings are indeterminate or CT/MRI is contraindicated. This article provides a practical review of the role of CEUS in imaging algorithms for pre- and post-ablation therapy for HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Tae Kyoung
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5193-1428
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Korosh
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3496-8744
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khalili
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Hyun-Jung
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5565-7366
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jang
keywords: Carcinoma, hepatocellular; Contrast media; Liver neoplasms; Ultrasonography