Quantitative analysis of CEUS in staging of small hepatocellular carcinoma / 中国介入影像与治疗学

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the value of CEUS quantitative analysis in diagnosis of different pathological stages of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods Data of 112 patients with HCC confirmed by surgical or biopsy were analyzed retrospectively.All the diameter of single tumor or the sum of the largest two lesions in multiple tumors were within 3 cm.Three groups were classified based on the Edmonson stageHigh differentiation group (n=50,stage Ⅰ or Ⅱ),median differentiation group (n=30,stage Ⅲ),low differentiation group (n=32,stage Ⅳ).Qontraxt ultrasound imaging analysis software was utilized to measure CEUS parameters,including the maximum intensity of tumor (TMAX),nontumor's intensity (NT),maximum intensity of nontumor (NTMAX),appear time,time to peak,washout time,and the ratio of TMAX/NT and TMAX/NTMAX were calculated.The differences among the three groups was compared by statistics test.Results The values of TMAX,TMAX/NTMAX and washout time were statistically different among the three groups (all P＜0.05).The maximum values of TMAX,TMAX/NTMAX and the shortest washout time were found in the low differentiation group.And the minimum values of TMAX,TMAX/NTMAX and the longest washout time were found in the high differentiation group.There were no statistical differences of NT,NTMAX,TMAX/NT,appear time and time to peak among the three groups (all P＞0.05).Conclusion The quantitative parameters of CEUS is helpful in distinguishing different Edmonson stage of small HCC.