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