1.0 cm in diameter.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of artificial hydrothorax combined with one-lung ventilation to aid ablation treatment of liver carcinoma in the hepatic dome.Methods Twenty-one patients with liver carcinoma located in the hepatic dome and affected by the lung gas were enrolled.Double lumen endobronchial intubation anesthesia was used and thoracical tube was used to apply artificial pleural effusion.The lesions'ultrasound image were recorded for the patients without artificial hydrothorax,or with artificial hydrothorax only and artificial hydrothorax combined with one-lung ventilation.Ultrasound images were reviewed and scored as 1-5 according to the clarity and completeness of the lesion.Ablation efficacy and adverse reactions were recorded in the follow-up.Results Twenty-one patients were successfully applied artificial hydrothorax and one lung ventilation.The average normal saline used for artificial hydrothorax were (738± 260)ml.The ultrasound score for not using artificial hydrothorax,using artificial hydrothorax only and artificial hydrothorax combined with one lung ventilation were 1.13 ± 0.35 (1-2),3.00 ± 0.85 (2-5) and 4.53 ± 0.64(3-5),respectively,statistical difference was found between each method(P ＜0.05).Artificial hydrothorax combined with one-lung ventilation had much higher ultrasound score than the other 2 methods.No complication related to artificial hydrothorax or one-lung ventilation was found.CT/MRI at one month after ablation showed that all the lesions were completely ablated.In the follow-up for 2-14 months on average,1 case of local tumor progression and 1 case of intrahapetic relapse were found.Conclusions Artificial hydrothorax combine one-lung ventilation could effectively enhance ultrasound image for the lesions in the dome whose acoustic window was affected by lung gas.

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 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 assess the characterization and usefulness of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)to diagnose solid focal lesions of pancreas(s-FLPs)in comparison to contrast enhanced computed tomography(CECT).Methods Forty-nine s-FLPs with final diagnosis were studied with low mechanical index CEUS and CECT.The enhanced patterns and diagnostic capability of CEUS were analyzed,and these results were compared with those from CECT.Results ①In CEUS,the perfusion of capillary could be detected in vascular phase.②The concordance of dual-phases enhanced patterns between CEUS and CECT was 73.5%(36/49).The concordance of enhanced level between early parenchymatous perfusion phase in CEUS and pancreatic phase in CECT could achieve 87.8%(43/49).Hypo/hypo enhancement was the most common enhanced pattern of pancreatic carcinoma in CEUS and CECT.③There was no statistical significance between CEUS and CECT in the differential diagnostic.Conclusions The concordance of enhanted patterns between CEUS and CECT is satisfactory.CEUS is similar to CECT in the differential diagnosis of s-FLPs.CEUS would become an important non-invasive diagnostic method for s-FLPs.

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.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of mono-modality fusion imaging using ultrasound in the intraoperative immediate evaluation of therapeutic response of liver cancer thermal ablation.Methods A total of 70 liver cancers in 53 patients that underwent thermal ablation from October to November 2015 were included in this study.Mono-modality fusion imaging using ultrasound was applied immediately after the ablation procedure to evaluate the therapeutic response of the thermal ablation.The applicable rate,the success rate of registration,the duration time,the evaluation results and the rate of supplemental ablation were recorded.Ultrasound examination was performed on the first day after ablation to evaluate the early complication.Contrast-enhanced CT/MR within 1-3 months after the procedure was regarded as the golden criteria of the treatment response.In the follow-up period,the rate of local tumor recurrence,progression-free survival and overall survival were analyzed.Results The applicable rate for mono-modality ultrasound fusion imaging is 62.9％ (44/70) while the success rate of registration is 90.9％ (40/44).The duration time for mono-modality is 2.7-7.5 min,with an average of (3.9 ± 0.9) min.Thirty-seven out of 40 liver cancers were evaluated to achieve safety margin and 3 out of 40 were not.The rate of supplemental ablation was 40％ (16/40).The rate of complete ablation was 97.3％ (36/37) according to contrast-enhanced CT/MR within 1-3 months.In the follow-up period,no local tumor recurrence was observed and the rates of intra-hepatic recurrence and overall survival were 46.7％ (14/30) and 96.7％ (29/30),respectively.Conclusions Mono-modality ultrasound fusion imaging is a convenient,feasible,safe and efficient method in the intraoperative immediate evaluation of therapeutic response of liver cancer thermal ablation.

[Objective]To compare the clinical application value of fusion imaging of ultrasound(US)and computed tomogra-phy(CT)or magnetic resonance(MR)(US-CT/MR fusion imaging)and fusion imaging of US and three-dimensional US(US-US fusion imaging)in treatment response assessment of thermal ablation combined with other surgeries and procedures.[Methods]This clinical research included patients confirmed with liver cancers that underwent thermal ablation combined with other surgeries and procedures from Aug to Dec 2015. Both US-CT/MR and US-US fusion imaging together with contrast-enhanced US was applied on the same patient to assess the treatment response of the thermal ablation during the ablation procedure. The applicable rate ,the success rate of registration and the duration required for fusion imaging were recorded and compared. Contrast-enhanced CT/MR 1-3 months after the ablation procedure was taken as the golden reference of the technical efficacy rate for ablation.[Results]67 liver can-cers in 50 patients were enrolled in this clinical research in total. The ablation of 47 lesions in 37 patients were combined with artifi-cial hydrothorax or ascites ,14 lesions in 10 patients with open surgeries and 8 lesions in 5 patients with laparoscopy surgeries. The applicable rate for US-US fusion imaging[52.5%(35/67)]was lower than that for US-CT/MR fusion imaging[98.7%(66/67)](P<0.001)while the success rate of registration for US-US fusion imaging[88.6%(31/35)]was higher than that for US-CT/MR[66.7%(44/66)](P=0.018). The duration time for US-US fusion imaging[3.8 min(2.7~10.0 min)]was significantly shorter than that for US-CT/MR fusion imaging[5.5 min(3.0 ~ 14.0 min)](P < 0.001). No major complication related to ablation was observed. The technical efficacy rate for ablation was 100%(62/62)according to the contrast-enhanced CT/MR 1-3 months after the ablation proce-dure.[Conclusion]For ablation combined with other surgeries and procedures ,US-US fusion imaging should be priority when the tumor is conspicuous in US,especially for cases combined with open surgeries while US-CT/MR fusion imaging should be selected in some cases when the tumor is inconspicuous on US.

Objective To assess the difference between two-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasonography ( 2D-CEUS ) and three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasonography ( 3D-CEUS ) in evaluating hepatic arteries in the liver transplantation. Methods Both 2D-CEUS and 3D-CEUS were used to examine 26 liver transplantation donors and recipients. Fifteen patients who were confirmed by CTA or DSA or MRA were analyzed. The image' s quality and diagnostic levels of 2D-CEUS and 3D-CEUS were compared, and the diagnostic information about anatomic features of hepatic arteries provided by the two methods was evaluated. Results 1) The image' s quality of 2D-CEUS and 3D-CEUS were 3. 62 ± 0. 41, 2. 52 ± 0. 93, respectively. The difference between them was statistically significant ( P <0. 05). 2)When evaluating anatomic features ,2D-CEUS and 3D-CEUS had no significant difference in common hepatic artery (CHA) and proper hepatic artery (PHA). But 3D-CEUS was prior to 2D-CEUS in left hepatic artery (LHA) ,right hepatic artery(RHA) and segmental hepatic artery(SHA) ( P <0. 05). 3)Five hepatic artery complications were discovered by CTA or DSA or MRA in 15 patients. In 4 patients (80%) ,both 2D-CEUS and 3D-CEUS made the affirmative diagnoses in accordance with the results. However, 2D-CEUS made a false positive diagnosis and 3D-CEUS corrected it. Conclusions The 3D-CEUS could provide more diagnostic information,could confirm or correct some diagnosis of 2D-CEUS,but,its image's quality is not as good as 2D-CEUS. Therefore,combining the 3D-CEUS with 2D-CEUS has practical clinical value in liver transplantation.

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.