Contrast-enhanced 3D ultrasonography in minute hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to clarify whether contrast-enhanced (CE) three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonography (US) can depict characteristic hyperstain and washout patterns in minute nodules ≤10 mm of hepatocellular carcinoma (minute HCC), and whether it serves as a potent diagnostic modality.


METHODS
CE 3D US was carried out to depict hyperstain and washout of a solitary nodule ≤10 mm in patients with liver cirrhosis. When both patterns were depicted with success, CE computed tomography (CT) and CE magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were also carried out as part of a comparative study, and then a histological specimen was obtained by needle biopsy. The final diagnosis was based on the histopathological findings and a follow-up on the growth of nodules.


RESULTS
All 12 minute nodules exhibiting hyperstain and washout showed evidence of HCC when examined by CE 3D US. The CE CT and CE MRI examinations could depict both of these patterns, characteristic of HCC, in most of the nodules but rather less successfully than CE 3D US.


CONCLUSIONS
CE 3D US can depict hyperstain and washout patterns in minute HCC and serves as a potent modality for diagnosis.
Imaging Medicine Research Institute, Sanmu Medical Center, 167 Naruto, Sanmu, Chiba, 289-1326, Japan. masao.ohto@nifty.com.
Masao
M
Ohto
Imaging Medicine Research Institute, Sanmu Medical Center, 167 Naruto, Sanmu, Chiba, 289-1326, Japan.
Ryu
R
Ito
Imaging Medicine Research Institute, Sanmu Medical Center, 167 Naruto, Sanmu, Chiba, 289-1326, Japan.
Nei
N
Soma
Imaging Medicine Research Institute, Sanmu Medical Center, 167 Naruto, Sanmu, Chiba, 289-1326, Japan.
Hiroyuki
H
Fukuda
Imaging Medicine Research Institute, Sanmu Medical Center, 167 Naruto, Sanmu, Chiba, 289-1326, Japan.
Yasushi
Y
Shinohara
Imaging Medicine Research Institute, Sanmu Medical Center, 167 Naruto, Sanmu, Chiba, 289-1326, Japan.
Akio
A
Sakamoto
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan.
Fukuo
F
Kondo
Contrast enhancement; Hyperstain; Minute hepatocellular carcinoma; Three-dimensional ultrasonography; Washout