Added value of Sonazoid-enhanced Superb Micro-vascular Imaging in the evaluation of focal solid hepatic lesions: An observer study

• Published in: Kanzo Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 138 - 141
• Main Authors: Sugimoto, Katsutoshi, Kojima, Mayumi, Ogawa, Sayuri, Kobayashi, Yoshiyuki, Moriyasu, Fuminori
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese; English
• Published: The Japan Society of Hepatology 08.04.2016
• Subjects: contrast SMI; observer study; Sonazoid-enhanced ultrasound
• ISSN: 0451-4203; 1881-3593
• DOI: 10.2957/kanzo.57.138

To evaluate the added value of Sonazoid-enhanced Superb Micro-vascular Imaging (SMI) in routine contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) examinations for the evaluation of focal solid hepatic lesions, CEUS was performed in 37 patients with focal hepatic lesions: 26 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 3 with metastasis, 4 with hemangioma, 3 with focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), and 1 with adenoma. The images were evaluated by three independent readers (R1-R3) who characterized the liver lesions with and without the use of SMI. Confidence in the final diagnosis was scored using a continuous rating scale. The mean diagnostic confidence scores for HCC and FNH were significantly improved by the addition of SMI. We therefore suggest that SMI should be widely employed in routine CEUS examinations for the differential diagnosis of focal solid hepatic lesions.