Contrast-enhanced ultrasound evaluation of hepatic microvascular changes in liver diseases

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG Vol. 18; no. 37; pp. 5225 - 5230
• Main Authors: Ridolfi, Francesco, Abbattista, Teresa, Busilacchi, Paolo, Brunelli, Eugenio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited 07.10.2012
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Brief; Contrast Media - pharmacology; Female; Fibrosis - physiopathology; Humans; Liver - blood supply; Liver - diagnostic imaging; Liver Diseases - diagnosis; Liver Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Male; Microcirculation; Middle Aged; Observer Variation; Perfusion; Regional Blood Flow; Reproducibility of Results; Software; Time Factors; Ultrasonography - methods; 参数显示; 肝脏疾病; 血管; 评价; 评估软件; 超声; 通过时间; 造影剂; Cirrhosis; Contrast enhanced ultrasound; Hepatitis; Liver perfusion; Hepatic microcirculation
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i37.5225

AIM： To assess if software assisted-contrast-enhanced ultrasonography （CEUS） provides reproducible perfu- sion parameters of hepatic parenchyma in patients af- fected by chronic liver disease. METHODS： Forty patients with chronic viral liver dis- ease, with （n = 20） or without （n = 20） cirrhosis, and 10 healthy subjects underwent CEUS and video re- cordings of each examination were then analysed with Esaote＇s Qontrast software. CEUS dedicated software Qontrast was used to determine peak （the maximum signal intensity）, time to peak （TTP）, region of blood value （RBV） proportional to the area under the time- intensity curve, mean transit time （MTT） measured in seconds and region of blood flow （RBF）. RESULTS： Qontrast-assisted CEUS parameters dis- played high inter-observer reproducibility （κ： coefficients of 0.87 for MTT and 0.90 TTP）. When the region of in-terest included a main hepatic vein, Qontrast-calculated TTP was significantly shorter in cirrhotic patients （vs non-cirrhotics and healthy subjects） （71.0 ± 11.3 s vs 82.4±15.6 s, 86.3±20.3 s, P 〈 0.05）. MTIs in the patients with liver cirrhosis were significantly shorter than those of controls （111.9±22.0 s vs 139.4±39.8 s, P 〈 0.05）, but there was no significant difference between the cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic groups （111.9± 22.0 s vs 110.3 ±14.6 s）. Peak enhancement in the patients with liver cirrhosis was also higher than that observed in controls （23.9± 5.9 vs 18.9±7.1, P = 0.05）. There were no significant intergroup differences in the RBVs and RBFs. CONCLUSION： Qontrast-assisted CEUS revealed re- producible differences in liver perfusion parameters during the development of hepatic fibrogenesis.