Detection and Characterization of focal Hepatic Lesions Using Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging in Late Phase with ADI Mode. Preliminary study

ADI (agent diagnostic imaging) permits the detection of contrast agent micro bubbles which settle in hepatic parenchyma during late phase, once the vascular phase is over. the aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of this technology in the detection and characterization of focal hepatic lesions. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound scan with ADI mode after administration of the contrast agent Levovist (SHU 508) was performed on 17 patients, Spiral CT was also performed either for reasons of a clinically suspected metastasis or received tumor (n=12), or for the study of a focal hepatic lesion (n=5). The findings obtained using ultrasound scan with ADI were compared with those using standard ultrasound scan and spiral CT. ADI detected 100% of focal lesions detected by CT. In 2 patients the ultrasound scan detected a 1 cm. lesion not detected in the CT. In comparison to CT, standard ultrasound imaging correctly classified the lesions as being either malignant or benign in 71.4% of the cases (10/14 lesions), whereas ADI did so in 92.8% (13/14 lesions). This represents an increase of 21.4% in diagnostic yield with regard to standard ultrasound imaging. ADI during late phase is useful in differentiating malignant from benign focal hepatic lesions, permitting an increase in diagnostic yield over that of standard ultrasound imaging. (Author) 20 refs