ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the usefulness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the diagnosis of biliary diseases.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>CEUS was performed in 57 patients with biliary diseases. The contrast enhancement characteristics and the morphologic features were observed. The ultrasonographic results were compared with those obtained through conventional 2-D ultrasound (2D-US), color Doppler flow ultrasound (CDFI), and clinical, surgical, and laboratory findings. In some cases, the ultrasonographic results were also compared with those obtained from contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The diagnostic accuracy of 2D-US combined with CEUS was significantly higher than that of 2D-US combined with CDFI 87.7% vs 71.9%; chi(2) = 4.41, P < 0.05). CEUS clearly showed the presence/absence of blood supply in biliary lesions and offered real-time imaging of the microcirculation perfusion in the lesions. It also offered useful information to differentiate biliary tumors from stones, bile mud, and/or blood clots. It distinctly displayed the size and contour of the lesions as well as the infiltrated range, depth, and the involved area. However, CEUS is most useful in reflecting blood perfusion patterns; it had limited value in differentiating the malignancies of polypoid lesions. The diagnostic accuracy (87.0% vs 91.3%;chi(2) = 0. 45, P > 0.05) and the size and range of the lesions displayed (0.4-6.2 cm vs 0.4-6.0 cm, P = 0.721) were not significantly different between CEUS and CECT.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CEUS is a useful tool in the routine ultrasonography of biliary diseases.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Biliary Tract Diseases , Diagnostic Imaging , Sensitivity and Specificity , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the diagnosis of renal cystic lesion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 88 patients with 97 atypical cystic lesions of kidneys were examined by conventional ultrasound (color Doppler flow imaging and power Doppler flow imaging), CEUS, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT), respectively. The results from the three imaging approaches were classified by Bosniak classification system and compared with each other. In patients who underwent surgeries, the pathological results were used to validate the imaging results.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The results of CEUS and CECT on atypical cystic lesions were not significantly different (P > 0.05). The results gained by conventional ultrasound were significantly different from those of CEUS and CECT (P < 0.05). Compared with the pathological results of 32 patients who underwent surgery, the sensitivities of CEUS in the diagnosis of benign, doubtfully malignant, and malignant cystic tumors of kidney were 63.2%, 95.0%, and 94.7%, respectively, the specificities were 92.9%, 76.9%, and 85.7%, respectively, and the accuracies were 75.8%, 87.9%, and 90.0%, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The classification of atypical cystic lesions using CEUS is highly consistent with CECT. CEUS is valuable in the diagnosis of benign and malignant renal cystic lesions.</p>