Ultrasound imaging of liver metastases in the delayed parenchymal phase following administration of Sonazoid using a destructive mode technique (Agent Detection Imaging).

AIM: To determine whether delayed-phase liver imaging using a destructive imaging mode is able to provide similar information to phase-inversion imaging regarding detection and conspicuity of liver metastases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with a known primary malignancy with suspected liver metastases were recruited. Ultrasound was performed at baseline, and up to 5 min after the administration of Sonazoid, using phase-inversion imaging at both low and high mechanical indices (MI) and at 10-15 min using destructive imaging. One of four doses of Sonazoid was used: 0.008, 0.08, 0.12, and 0.36 microl/kg of body weight. Two observers documented lesion number and conspicuity subjectively, and divided the patients into group A (no lesions), group B (one to seven lesions), and group C(I-III) (more than eight lesions, subdivided with increasing lesion number) depending on the number of lesions and categories I-IV based on lesion conspicuity. These parameters were compared with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) as the reference standard. RESULTS: Sixteen patients were examined (six women, 10 men), mean age 67.3 years (range 48-83 years). Based on CECT imaging, the division was as follows: group A n=1, group B n=8, group C(I)n=1, group C(II)n=4, group C(III)n=2. The accuracy of baseline ultrasound versus CECT was 75% (in 12 of the 16 patients the group concurred) and the accuracy for contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) versus CECT was 93.8% (15/16). There was a significant improvement in lesion conspicuity for both low (p=0.0029) and high MI phase-inversion (p=0.0004) and destructive (p=0.0015) CEUS imaging in comparison with baseline ultrasound. Artefact was noted at higher doses of Sonazoid; and no side effects were recorded. CONCLUSION: Following a single, intravenous injection of Sonazoid, the properties of this microbubble allow for a and robust examination of the liver using two different techniques with comparable results.

Ultrasound of non-vascular complications in the post liver transplant patient.

Vascular complications after liver transplantation are readily detected with ultrasound (US) and are well described. Less attention has been paid to non-vascular complications of liver transplantation, which are equally readily detected on US without the need to recourse to further imaging. The types, frequency and features of non-vascular complications are described in this review, with emphasis on biliary complications, types of fluid collections and the features of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder.

Assessment of portal venous system patency in the liver transplant candidate: a prospective study comparing ultrasound, microbubble-enhanced colour Doppler ultrasound, with arteriography and surgery.

AIM: To determine the role of microbubble-enhanced colour Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) in assessing portal venous patency prior to liver transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over a 2-year period, all patients with chronic liver disease undergoing routine pre-transplant CDUS examination in whom the portal venous system was inadequately demonstrated were recruited to the study. CDUS was performed in 368 patients and 33 patients (9%) were recruited. A repeat CDUS examination following an intravenous bolus injection of the microbubble contrast agent Levovist (Schering Healthcare AG, Berlin, Germany) was performed. Diagnostic confidence was recorded on a free linear analogue scale for both examinations. Findings were compared with indirect portography and surgery. RESULTS: Of the 33 patients with sub-optimal baseline examinations, improvement in portal vein visualization was achieved in 31 patients (94%). Median diagnostic confidence increased from 50% (interquartile range 30-60) to 90% (interquartile range 75-98) (P < 0.001) following administration of Levovist. Overall accuracy of portal vein assessment using microbubble-enhanced CDUS in 15 patients in whom a definitive diagnosis was made within 2 months was 87%. CONCLUSION: Microbubble-enhanced CDUS is a simple, inexpensive adjunct to standard pre liver transplant screening of the portal vein. It is particularly helpful in patients with end-stage cirrhosis who are at high risk of portal vein thrombosis and in whom the conventional examination is sub-optimal.

Fatty degeneration in a Wilms' tumour after chemotherapy.

We report a case of extensive fatty change in a Wilms' tumour after chemotherapy demonstrated on CT associated with an increase in tumour volume, in a 10-month-old girl with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Changes in tumour characteristics after chemotherapy on imaging usually reflect necrosis, haemorrhage and calcification. Assessment of response to therapy is dependent on a documented reduction in tumour volume. In this case, CT showed an increase in tumour size with development of an extensive fatty component following treatment. Subsequent histological examination on the nephrectomy specimen confirmed an extensive fatty component with no evidence of residual blastema. The development of such an extensive fatty component is very unusual. In this case such fatty change was an indicator of tumour sensitivity and response to treatment.

Contrast-enhanced helical computerised tomography in the investigation of thoracic aortic injury.

Aortic angiography is widely considered the 'gold standard' for the diagnosis of traumatic thoracic aortic injury. Unfortunately, thoracic aortic angiography has many disadvantages: the technique is invasive but, more importantly, it is not routinely available in all hospitals, necessitating transfer of critically ill patients. Contrast-enhancement helical computerised tomography (CEHCT) of the thorax is rapidly becoming available, especially in more district general hospitals, and has been shown to be as sensitive and specific in detecting aortic trauma as angiography. This technique has the advantage of being non-invasive and is able to demonstrate injuries other than thoracic aortic disruption. We present four cases of traumatic thoracic disruption initially diagnosed using CEHCT in whom surgical repair was performed on the basis of the CEHCT findings. The surgical findings of aortic injury were correlated with CEHCT features.

Acute appendicitis presenting with a testicular mass: ultrasound appearances.

Acute appendicitis presenting with scrotal symptoms is a rare event, occurring when a patent processus vaginalis persists. We present a case where ultrasound demonstrated an inflamed appendix and a scrotal abscess, allowing the correct surgical management in a difficult clinical situation. In a child presenting with scrotal signs and vague lower abdominal symptoms, an ultrasound assessment of the right iliac fossa should always be performed.

Endoluminal embolization of bilateral atherosclerotic common iliac aneurysms with fibrin tissue glue (Beriplast).

The standard surgical approach to nonleaking iliac aneurysms found at repair of a leaking abdominal aortic aneurysm is to minimize the operative risk by repairing the abdominal aorta only. This means that the bypassed iliac aneurysms may have to be repaired later. As this population of patients are usually elderly with coexisting medical problems, interventional radiology is being used to embolize these aneurysms, thus avoiding the morbidity and mortality associated with further general anesthesia and surgery. Various materials and stents have been reported to be effective in the treatment of iliac aneurysms. We report the successful use of endoluminal fibrin tissue glue (Beriplast) to treat two large iliac aneurysms in a patient who had had a previous abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. We discuss the technique involved and the reasons why we used tissue glue in this patient.

Renal angiography using carbon dioxide.

The many advantages of carbon dioxide (CO2) angiography in the investigation of renal arterial disease include an absence of both nephrotoxicity and allergic reactions. An automated delivery system facilitates injection of CO2 whilst ensuring that there is no contamination of the injection with air. We report our initial experience using a prospective study of this delivery system in 47 patients referred for renal angiography, and assess diagnostic image quality and adverse reactions to CO2 angiography using the automated delivery system. The majority (37/47; 79%) of angiograms were of diagnostic quality and there were no significant adverse reactions in response to the CO2 contrast agent.

Carbon dioxide angiography of the lower limbs: initial experience with an automated carbon dioxide injector.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) has been used as an arterial contrast agent since 1971. The development of digital subtraction angiography and an automated CO2 injector has increased the practicability and safety of using CO2 routinely. Sixty-three patients had lower limb and/or renal arteriograms performed over a 6-month period using CO2 in comparison with iodinated contrast medium. The majority (mean 74%, range 53-86%) of non-selective studies were diagnostic to the level of the popliteal artery, and 84% of selective lower limb studies were diagnostic. No serious complications occurred. The contrast and spatial resolution of CO2 digital subtraction arteriography (CO2DSA) was not consistently as good as iodinated contrast medium in peripheral lower limb or renal studies. However, due to the absence of allergic reactions and lack of nephrotoxicity, CO2 is a diagnostic alternative to iodinated contrast medium in selected patients.