Objective Using coded harmonic angiography to observe hepatocellular carcinoma blood perfusion features,further assess this modality clinical value in qualitative diagnosis of liver malignant tumor.Methods Through left forearm vein bolus injection of fluorine-carbon contrast agent,35 patients with 41 hepatocellular carcinoma lesions were examined with coded harmonic angiography,intratumoral vessel enhanced time,vascularity,blood perfusion were observed.All patients were simultaneously videotaped before and after contrast.Results It was about 15～20 s after the injection of contrast agent when the enhancement of tumor had just commenced,peak time about 60～90 s and persistence time about 240～300 s.Lesions were more obviously enhanced than normal liver tissue,several tumor vascularity was displayed from border to center,contrast agent gradually centripetal filled-in,formed "weeping-willow" echo.Pressed and rimlike peripheral vessel developments were earlier than normal liver tissue.Conclusions Coded harmonic angiography could real-timely display hepatocellular carcinoma blood perfusion,which has an important clinical value in qualitative diagnosis of liver malignant tumor.

Objective To analyze the reasons of focal liver lesions that difficult to detect by conventional ultrasound ultrasound-CT/MR fusion imaging.Methods 101 lesions which were confirmed by pathology or clinical diagnosis standards were recruited in the research.All of them were difficult to detect by conventional ultrasound but CT/MR display clearly.Ultrasound-CT/MR fusion imaging was used to observe the size,location and internal echo of the lesions,as well as the background of the surrounding liver parenchyma.Results All cases were successfully registrated,the registration time were 2-6min [(4.1 ±0.6)min].For these 101 lesions,93.1％(94/101) of which the diameter ≤20 mm,56.4％ (57/101) were located in hepatic segments near the diaphragm (such as S2,S4,S7,S8),78.2％ (79/101) were internal isoecho,and 79.2％(80/101) in the background of liver cirrhosis.Conclusions The important reasons that focal liver lesions detected difficult by conventional ultrasound includes:lesion size,location,internal echo and the hepatic background.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of artificial pleural effusion for percutaneous microwave ablation of liver cancer in the hepatic dome. Methods 28 difficult cases (total 34 lesions), all lesions were located in the hepatic dome and covered by lung. Infused with artificial pleural effusion by ultrasound real-time monitoring before percutaneous ultrasound-guided microwave ablation. The amount of artificial pleural effusion, the technique successful rate,the rate of lesions revealed, local treatment response and complications had been observed. Results The amount of artificial pleural effusionwas 200-1 000 mL [(388 ± 107)mL]. The technique successul rate of artificial pleural effusion was 100% (28 / 28), the rate of lesions revealed was 85.3%(29 / 34), the other 5 isoechoic lesions were revealed by contrast-enhanced ultrasound. All the 34 lesions was ablated completely, the complete ablation rate was 100%(34 / 34). the rate of complications was 2.9%(1 / 34), 1 patient was found a small amount of intraperitoneal hemorrhage after ablation. Conclusions Artificial pleural effusion assisted percutaneous microwave ablation of liver cancer in the hepatic dome is a safe , effective treatment, it broadened the percutaneous microwave ablation therapeutic range, and should be more widely used in clinically.

Objective To analyze the double contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (DCUS) features of periamupullary carcinoma for enhancing the ultrasound diagnostic value of the disease.Methods The DCUS and clinical data of 40 patients with periampullary carcinoma confirmed by histopathology were reviewed.Results (1) The displaying rate of the lesions and the judgment of lesion location was statistically higher on DCUS than that of ordinary ultrasound (P ＜ 0.05).(2) DCUS features of periampullary carcinoma:the size of most lesions was less than 30 mm except for 1 case in which no lesion was found; In 100％ (39/39) of the lesions,the morphology did not change with duodenum movement ; In 64.1％ (25/39) of lesions hyperenhancement or isoenhancement was displayed in the arterial phase,with low enhancement in the venous phase; In 87.2％ (34/39) of lesions homogeneous enhancement was displayed; In 95％ (38/40) the bile ducts were moderately or severely dilated.The lesion locations and whether the lesions projected into the duodenal cavity or not were statistically different between the three different types of periampullary carcinoma (P ＜ 0.05).The lesions projected into the duodenal cavity of duodenum were more commonly seen in papillary carcinoma and ampullary carcinoma than distal common bile duct carcinoma.The lesion size,whether the lesion morphology changed or not with duodenum movement,enhancement level,enhancement homogeneity,the degree of bile duct dilatation,whether there was pancreatic duct dilatation or not were not statistically different between the three different types of periampullay carcinoma (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions DCUS is an effective way to show periampullay carcinoma,and is helpful to diagnose periampullary carcinoma and distinguish the three different types of periampullary carcinoma.

Objective To explore the feasibility of evaluation of hepatic fibrosis using the tissue dispersion quantitative analysis software based on ultrasonic elastography. Methods Forty-six chronic liver disease patients were examined by tissue dispersion quantitative analysis software. There were 11 characteristic quantities of elastography imaging obtained by the tissue dispersion quantitative analysis software,including average relative strain value,standard deviation of relative strain value,area ratio of low-strain region ( AREA%) , complexity, kurtosis, skewness, contrast, entropy, inverse different moment,angular second moment,correlation. The 11 characteristic quantities were compared with pathological stages of hepatic fibrosis. Results The characteristic quantities had statistically significant differences except kurtosis and correlation in the analysis of variance and correlational study with pathological stages ( P < 0.05). The AREA% had the highest related coefficient ( r = 0.725). The ROC curve was made by AREA% ,the areas under the ROC curve were 0. 865 ,0. 880 and 0. 886. Conclusions The tissue dispersion quantitative analysis software is helpful in the evaluation of stages of hepatic fibrosis. The AREA% has the highest relationship with pathological stages of hepatic fibrosis and good diagnostic value.

Objective To investigate the role of intra-operative and percutaneous three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasonic cholangiography (3D-CEUSC) in the diagnosis of biliary anomalies. Methods Diluted SonoVue, an ultrasonic contrast agent, was injected into the cystic duct of 13 living liver donors via a cannula for intra-operative 3D-CEUSC, while injection via a T tube or a PTCD tube were done in 14 patients for percutaneous 3D-CEUSC. The maximum branching order of the intra-hepatic bile ducts, the percentages of display of the first-, second-, and third-order intra-hepatic bile ducts, and the rates of detection of biliary anatomical anomalies were evaluated. Results The median of the maximum branching order of the intra-hepatic bile ducts shown was fourth-order on intraoperative 3D-CEUSC and third-order on percutaneous 3D-CEUSC, respectively. The difference was significant (P=0.01). From the first- to the third-order of intra-hepatic bile ducts, the percentages of display for intra-operative 3D-CEUSC were 100% (23/23), 96.2% (50/52) and 82.7% (86/104),respectively, while they were 100% (24/24), 94.6% (54/56) and 60. 7% (68/112) for percutaneous 3D-CEUSC. The differences were not significant when comparing the first- and the second-order branches of intra-hepatic bile ducts as shown either on intra-operative or percutaneous 3D-CEUSC (P=1).The percentages of display of the third-order branches using intra-operative 3D-CEUSC was higher than that of percutaneous 3D-CEUSC (P＜0. 0001). Three biliary anatomical anomalies were detected by intra-operative 3D-CEUSC and 4 anomalies were detected by percutaneous 3D-CEUSC. All of these anomalies were confirmed by X-ray cholangiography. Conclusion Both intra-operative and percutaneous 3D-CEUSC could diagnose biliary anatomical anomalies accurately. These procedures may become important techniques to evaluate the biliary anatomy in hepatobiliary surgery pre-operatively or intraoperatively.

ObjectiveTo explore the feasibility of measurement of hepatic elastic modulus using shear wave elastography (SWE).Methods Hepatic elastic modulus of 95 health control people,70 liver fibrosis patients and 86 liver cirrhosis patients were measured by SWE.ResultsThe success rate of imaging of health control people and liver cirrhosis patients were 100％,the success rate of liver fibrosis patients was a little lower,but there was no significant difference between control people and liver cirrhosis patients or fibrosis patients and liver cirrhosis patients (P ＞ 0.05 ).The modulus of elasticity had a significant difference in health control people,liver fibrosis patients and liver cirrhosis patients (P ＜0.05).The multiple parameter comparison of mean of three groups also showed a significant difference( P ＜0.05).The health control people had the lowest modulus of elasticity,the liver cirrhosis patients had the highest modulus of elasticity,there was an obvious upward trend.Conclusions SWE can be applied to the measurement of hepatic stiffness,it can better distinguish above three groups.

Objective To demonstrate the feasibility and accuracy of the intellectual position(IP)technique used in ultrasound-guided biopsy.Methods Several red spheres,which were 10 mm in diameter and visible in ultrasound,randomly placed in the tissue mimicking gel phantom.The biopsy was performed by two operators respectively.Each operator chose 25 spheres,each of which were performed biopsy guided by IP technique,free-hand ultrasound and ultrasound with guide bracket.The red dye in the biopsied sample meant successful performance.The time spend in per biopsy target,the success rate of biopsy and the length of the red dyed sample of the three methods were recorded,and comparison was made among them.Results The median time took in biopsy guided by IP technique was 95(rang,80-110)s,which was longer than that of free-hand ultrasound-guide[30 (rang,22-42) s,P ＜0.001] and ultrasound-guide with bracket [20(rang,15-28)s,P ＜0.001].The success rate of biopsy guided by IP technique was 98.0％ (49/50)which was as well as that guided by ultrasound-guide with bracket(96.0％,48/50,P =0.558),better than free-hand ultrasound-guide(78.0％,39/50,P =0.002).The median length of red dyed sample biopsied guided by IP technique was 8.0 (rang,7.0-8.5)mm,which was longer than that of free-hand ultrasoundguide[6.0(rang,4.0-8.0)mm,P =0.003] and ultrasound-guide with bracket[7.0(rang,6.0-8.0)mm,P =0.003].There was no statistically difference between the two operators in length of red dyed sample and success rate of biopsy guided by IP technique(P ＞0.05).Conclusions Biopsy guided by IP technique is a feasible and accuracy method,which will become an effectively supplement of the ultrasound-guide with bracket.

Objective To evaluate the value of virtual navigation assisted 3-D contrast-enhanced ultrasound (VNA-3D-CEUS) in depicting ablative area and ablative margin after hepatocellular carcinoma radiofrequency ablation. Methods Sixty-one lesions in 51 patients were evaluated ablative area and ablative margin using VNA-3D-CEUS. The results were divided into three groups: (A) tumor was completely ablated and 5 mm ablative margin was achieved; (B) tumor was completely ablated but 5 mm ablative margin was not achieved; (C) tumor was not completely ablated. The technical successful rate of VNA-3D-CEUS,as well as the coincidence rate of complete ablation with contrast-enhanced MRI,was evaluated. The relation between local tumor progression and ablative margin was observed through follow-up. Results The technical successful rate of VNA-3D-CEUS was 78.7％ (48/61). Coincidence rate of complete ablation with contrast-enhanced MRI was 100％ (40/40). The local tumor progressions of group A and group B were 0/26 and 2/13. There was significant difference between A and B group( P =0.032). Significant correlation between local tumor progression and ablative margin was found ( r =- 1. 000, P ＜0. 001 ). Conclusions VNA-3D-CEUS could be a new method in accurately evaluating the ablative area and ablative margin after hepatocellular carcinoma ablation.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) automatic image fusion based on hepatic vessel in clinical application.Methods Forty pairs of 3D ultrasound volumetric images from 10 healthy volunteers were acquired and enrolled in the study,including 10 pairs of each following lobe of the liver:left lateral lobe,left medial lobe,right anterior lobe and right posterior lobe.3DUS automatic registrations were performed based on hepatic vessel.The technical successful rate and accuracy of the image fusion using the 3DUS data from four hepatic lobes were observed and compared.Results Thirty-six pairs of volumetric data were successfully fused together by automatic registration.The technical successful rate was 90％ (36/40) and the registration error distance was 1.48 mm (0.98-2.76 mm).There were no statistical differences in the successful rate for the four different hepatic lobes (P =0.891),but the registration error of right anterior lobe was less than left lateral lobe of liver (P =0.014).Conclusions The new technology of 3DUS automatic registration based on hepatic vessel was feasible and reliable,and it has a wide prospect in future clinical application.