title: Superb microvascular imaging technology for ultrasound examinations: Initial experiences for hepatic tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore whether superb microvascular imaging (SMI) technology could be helpful for the evaluation of hepatic tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our institutional review board approved this study, and informed consent was obtained from all of the patients. Twenty-three patients with 29 hepatic tumors were enrolled in our study. The tumors consisted of hemangiomas (n=15), focal nodular hyperplasias (FNHs) (n=7), and hepatocellular carcinomas (n=7). All lesions were pathologically (n=2) or radiologically (n=27) confirmed. The mean tumor diameter was 1.9cm (range, 0.9cm to 5.0cm). Using SMI technology, all lesions were scanned and categorized into subgroups according to the flow pattern on the SMI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The hemangiomas exhibited nodular rim patterns (33%) and spotty dot-like patterns (20%), and both of these findings were very specific for the diagnosis of hemangioma. The FNHs exhibited spoke-wheel patterns (43%) and radiating vessel patterns (29%) that were very specific findings for the diagnosis of FNH. The other tumors did not exhibit any specific patterns on SMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evaluations of the inner vascularities of hepatic tumors with the SMI technique were feasible, and the SMI features were significantly different between the different types of hepatic tumors. These differences could aid the diagnoses of hepatic tumors with US.
authors: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Republic of Korea.
authors: Dong Ho
authors: DH
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: leejy4u@snu.ac.kr.
authors: Jae Young
authors: JY
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Republic of Korea.
authors: Joon Koo
authors: JK
authors: Han
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D020518:Focal Nodular Hyperplasia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Focal nodular hyperplasia; Hemangioma; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Superb microvascular imaging