RESUMEN
Objective To evaluate early diagnostic value of quantitative analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in acute radiation-induced liver injury.Methods Sixty female rats were divided into two groups:50 rats in an experimental group (model group) and 10 rats in a negative control group.The rats in model group were radiated with stereotactic single dose of 20Gy on their liver to establish acute radiationinduced liver injury models.Each 10 rats from model groups and 2 rats from control group were randomly selected and underwent CEUS and histopathological examination on the 3,7,14,21,28 days after radiation.The degree of injury was classified into four groups according to pathological grading:non-injured group,mild injured group,moderated injured group and severe injured group.The dynamic images of CEUS were off-line analysis and the parameters of arrival time of contrast agent to hepatic artery (HAAT),the arrival time of contrast agent to hepatic vein (HVAT),and the transit time of hepatic artery-hepatic vein (HAHVTT) were recorded.Time intensity curve (TIC) of liver parenchyma drawn by the software of quantitative analysis was used to obtain quantitative parameters including time to peak (TTP) and peak intensity (PI).Results Along with the severity degree of radiation-induced liver injury,the quantitative parameters,PI decreased while TTP extended.PI of mild injured group,moderated injured group and severe injured group were lower than that of non-injured group (P ＜0.05).TTP of the three liver injuried groups was higher than non-injured group (P ＜0.05).The quantitative parameters HA-HVTT of moderated injured group and severe injured group were decreased than the non-injured group (P ＜0.05),whereas the difference between mild injured group and non-injured group was not significant.Conclusions Quantitative analysis of CEUS can provide a certain value for early diagnosis in acute radiation-induced liver injury.