To explore the clinical value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in differentiating benign and malignant focal liver lesions (FLLs) with SonoVue, CEUS was used to examine 113 patients with focal liver lesions (FLLs) in our hospital during July 2005 to December 2006. All the patients underwent contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) or contrast-enhanced MRI (CEMRI). Except for patients with focal fatty sparings (n=18) and with hemangiomas (n=8), all the patients were confirmed by operation or ultrasonic-guided liver puncture biopsy. A sulfur hexafluoride gas-based contrast agent was used with a MI of 0.15 to 0.17. Forty-eight cases of malignant FLLs, including 30 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 2 cholangiocarcinomas and 16 metastatic tumors, were detected. Seventy-eight cases of benign FLLs, including 33 hemangiomas, 9 focal nodular hyperplasias (FNHs), 19 focal fatty sparings, 5 abscesses, 7 regenerative nodules and 2 inflammatory pseudo-tumor, were involved. The contrast pattern of benign and malignant FLLs was quite different. CEUS has higher specificity and sensitivity than conventional ultrasound in differentiating benign and malignant FLLs.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*ultrasonography ; Contrast Media/*diagnostic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hemangioma/ultrastructure ; Image Enhancement/*methods ; Liver Diseases/*ultrasonography ; Liver Neoplasms/*ultrastructure ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the endothelial function in diabetic patients by high resolution sonography. Methods The intima-media thicknesses (IMT) of the bilateral carotid artery, femoral artery and the iliac artery of 22 elderly patients and 142 non-elderly patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and 20 elderly and 20 non-elderly healthy persons were measured. The changes of the diameter of brachial artery were determined by measuring the diameter of brachial artery during reactive hyperemia and after sublingual nitroglycerin. Results The increased percentage of the brachial artery diameter under reactive hyperemia was significantly lower in elderly patients with DM (10. 03?6. 39)% than that in the elderly healthy control (15. 87?4. 79)% (P 0. 05). The IMT in elderly patients with early-stage DM incrassated significantly(P

Objective To investigate the value of prenatal ultrasound observation of subaortic conical connection in the diagnosis of complete transposition of great arteries(TGA).Methods Echocardiography findings of 22 cases with complete TGA confirmed by autopsy were retrospectively analyzed and summarized.Results All cases were shown subaortic conical connection on two-dimensional echocardiography,the two great arteries were parallel in 18 cases on left ventricular long-axis view,the character of normal right ventricular outflow tract surrounding the aortic root disappeared in 17 cases.There were 13 cases with ventricular septal defect and 2 cases with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.Aorta and pulmonary artery were shown in right anterior and left posterior position among 20 cases,and in anterior and posterior position in 2 cases.Conclusions Prenatal ultrasound observation of subaortic conical connection is of great value in the diagnosis of complete TGA.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of fetal echocardiography in prenatal diagnosis of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection(TAPVC). Methods Ultrasound images of ten fetuses with TAPVC were retrospectively analysed and compared with pathologic results. Results Ten fetuses were diagnosed TAPVC by prenatal ultrasound, seven cases were confirmed by autopsy after termination of pregnancy,three ceses were unable to be followed up. Among seven cases confirmed by autopsy, prenatal ultrasound findings showed left atrium were extremely small and no pulmonary vein was observed draining to left atrium. Five fetuses with common pulmonary vein showed widen drainage cavum and high-speed vein spectrum. Three fetuses combined with extracardiac malformations. Conclusions Fetal echocardiography has an important clinical value in diagnosing TAPVC.

Objective To investigate the application potentiality of dynamic three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (3D-CEUS) in showing vascular patterns of hepatic tumors.Methods Total of 65 hepatic tumors were examined with two-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (2D-CEUS) and dynamic 3D-CEUS and make statistical comparison between two imaging modes in aspects of enhancement patterns,spatial relationships of tumors and vascularity of different hepatic tumors.Results Dynamic 3D-CEUS showed the same enhancement patterns with 2D-CEUS.However,Dynamic 3D-CEUS was superior to 2D-CEUS in the display of spatial relationships of hepatic tumors and vascularity(P ＜0.05).The vascularity between benign and malignant hepatic tumors was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Dynamic 3D-CEUS is a useful technique in the differential diagnosis of hepatic tumors as well as 2D-CEUS,and dynamic 3D-CEUS displays the spatial relationship of hepatic tumors and vascularity more visually and comprehensively,which provides additional beneficial information for the diagnosis and therapy of hepatic tumors.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of fetal echocardiography in prenatal diagnosis of complete vascular ring. Methods Ultrasound images of 6 cases with complete vascular ring were retrospectively analysed and summarized, all cases were confirmed by autopsy after termination of pregnancy. Results Right aortic arch and left ductus arteriosus formed U shaped comlete vascular ring coursing around the trachea in 5 cases, left aortic arch and right aortic arch formed O shaped complete vascular ring in 1 case on three-vessel trachea view. Color Dopple flow imaging aided in identifying various components of the vascular ring. Conclusions Fetal echocardiography is of great clinical value in prenatal diagnosis of complete vascular ring. Three-vessel trachea view is important for screening with particular attention to the relationship of the aortic and duct arches to the trachea.

To explore the clinical value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in differentiating benign and malignant focal liver lesions (FLLs) with SonoVue, CEUS was used to examine 113 pa- tients with focal liver lesions (FLLs) in our hospital during July 2005 to December 2006. All the pa- tients underwent contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) or contrast-enhanced MRI(CEMRI). Except for pa- tients with focal fatty sparings (n=18) and with hemangiomas (n=8), all the patients were confirmed by operation or ultrasonic-guided liver puncture biopsy. A sulfur hexafluoride gas-based contrast agent was used with a MI of 0.15 to 0.17. Forty-eight cases of malignant FLLs, including 30 hepato- cellular carcinomas (HCCs), 2 cholangiocarcinomas and 16 metastatic tumors, were detected. Sev- enty-eight cases of benign FLLs, including 33 hemangiomas, 9 focal nodular hyperplasias (FNHs), 19 focal fatty sparings, 5 abscesses, 7 regenerative nodules and 2 inflammatory pseudo-tumor, were in- volved. The contrast pattern of benign and malignant FLLs was quite different. CEUS has higher specificity and sensitivity than conventional ultrasound in differentiating benign and malignant FLLs.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of elastography in the differential diagnosis of benign versus malignant testicular lesions. Methods: The PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were searched for relevant studies. The diagnostic accuracy of elastography was evaluated using pooled sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio, post-test probability, diagnostic odds ratio, and by summarizing the area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) curve. Results: Seven studies with 568 lesions were included. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 87% (95% confidence interval [CI], 81% to 92%) and 81% (95% CI, 65% to 90%), respectively. The pooled estimates of the positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio were 4.48 (95% CI, 2.37 to 8.47), 0.16 (95% CI, 0.10 to 0.25), and 28.11 (95% CI, 11.39 to 69.36), respectively. The area under the HSROC curve was 90% (95% CI, 88% to 93%). Conclusion Elastography is useful for assessing the stiffness of testicular lesions and for differentiating benign from malignant lesions. Elastography can be an effective supplement to conventional ultrasonography.