OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of contrast enhanced power Doppler in evaluating tumor angiogenetic activity. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were analysed. Flow signals of hepatocellular carcinoma were observed by power Doppler imaging after the injection of contrast agent, and then the relative perfusion rate and blood flow were assessed. The microvessel density (MVD) and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) were assessed by immunohistochemical method. The relationship between the relative perfusion rate,blood flow, MVD,VEGF was studied. RESULTS: The relative perfusion rate in the tissues with positive expression of VEGF was significantly higher than that in the tissues with negative expression of VEGF in hepatocellular carcinoma. There was correlation between the relative perfusion rate, blood flow grade and MVD(P<0.05). The expression of VEGF was positively related to the relative perfusion rate and blood flow grade(P<0.05). CONCLUSION Contrast enhanced power Doppler is useful in evaluating the tumor angiogenetic activity.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Contrast Media ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; Ultrasonography, Doppler ; methods

OBJEVTIVETo explore the feasibility and reliability of ultrasonic monitoring of portal vein (PV) and hepatic vein (HV) blood flow volume changes in the process of induced carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma and the correlation of PV/HV blood flow volume ratio (Qpv/Qhv) with the severity of liver cirrhosis.

METHODSSD rats with diethylnitrosamine-induced liver carcinogenesis underwent regular liver ultrasound examinations including color flow imaging and pulsed Doppler examination. The main PV and HV blood flow parameters were measured to calculate Qpv/Qhv until successful induction of liver cancer.

RESULTSThe PV diameter increased significantly with the severity of liver cirrhosis in the rats (P<0.05), and the PV blood flow velocity reduced but the blood flow volume increased significantly in liver cancer and cirrhosis stages (P<0.05). Normal hepatic vein blood flow was significantly greater than that measured in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma stages. The Qpv/Qhv measured in normal rats was significantly lower than that in liver cirrhosis and liver cancer stages, but the ratios were comparable between the latter two stages.

CONCLUSIONUltrasonography is reliable to monitor the change of liver hemodynamics in rats with induced liver carcinogenesis, in which the changes of Qpv/Qhv are correlated with the severity of liver cirrhosis.

Animals ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Blood Volume ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Hemodynamics ; Hepatic Veins ; Liver Cirrhosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Portal Vein ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reproducibility of Results ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the contrast-enhancement patterns obtained at pulseinversion harmonic imaging (PIHI) of focal hepatic lesions, and to thus determine tumor vascularity and the acoustic emission effect. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed pulse-inversion images in 90 consecutive patients with focal hepatic lesions, namely hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (n=43), metastases (n=30), and hemangioma (n=17). Vascular and delayed phase images were obtained immediately and five minutes following the injection of a microbubble contrast agent. Tumoral vascularity at vascular phase imaging and the acoustic emission effect at delayed phase imaging were each classified as one of four patterns. RESULTS: Vascular phase images depicted internal vessels in 93% of HCCs, marginal vessels in 83% of metastases, and peripheral nodular enhancement in 71% of hemangiomas. Delayed phase images showed inhomogeneous enhancement in 86% of HCCs; hypoechoic, decreased enhancement in 93% of metastases; and hypoechoic and reversed echogenicity in 65% of hemangiomas. Vascular and delayed phase enhancement patterns were associated with a specificity of 91% or greater, and 92% or greater, respectively, and with positive predictive values of 71% or greater, and 85% or greater, respectively. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhancement patterns depicting tumoral vascularity and the acoustic emission effect at PIHI can help differentiate focal hepatic lesions.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/blood supply/*ultrasonography ; Colon/pathology ; Contrast Media/*administration & dosage ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Hemangioma/blood supply/*ultrasonography ; Human ; Image Enhancement/*methods ; Liver/pathology/ultrasonography ; Liver Neoplasms/blood supply/secondary/*ultrasonography ; Lung/pathology ; Male ; *Microbubbles ; Middle Aged ; Pancreas/pathology ; Polysaccharides/administration & dosage/diagnostic use ; Reproducibility of Results ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stomach/pathology ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't