Contrast-enhanced ultrasound of pulmonary carcinoma:a preliminary study / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the enhancement patterns of pulmonary carcinomas by contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS).Methods Thirty-eight patients with pulmonary carcinomas proven by pathology[28 with peripheral pulmonary carcinomas and 10 central pulmonary carcinoma with obstructive atelectasis(OA)]were examined by baseline ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound,then the arrival time(AT),time to peak(TTP)were analyzed with time-intensity curve analysis software and the dynamic enhancement pattern of each lesion was assessed.Results Twenty-four peripheral pulmonary carcinomas demonstrated delayed AT about 6-16 s after application of contrast medium,three lesions demonstrated early AT about 4-5 s and one lesion demonstrated absence of contrast enhancement.The lesions exhibited hyper-,hypo- and non-enhancement were 14,13 and 1,respectively.Seventeen lesions were heterogenous enhanced with non-enhanced necrosis areas and enhanced septa,while ten lesions homogeneous enhanced and one lesion no enhanced.Ten central pulmonary carcinoma with OA demonstrated a characteristic pattern:OA appeared a short AT(mean AT 4.8 s)until enhancement and strong contrast enhancement,while the central tumors appeared a delayed AT(mean AT 10.5 s)and faint enhancement.Conclusions CEUS can be useful in differentiation between solid and cystic pulmonary lesions,and detection of the latent lesions underlying the atelectasis.