Contrast‐enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography for differential diagnosis of localized gallbladder lesions

• Published in: Digestive endoscopy Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 98 - 106
• Main Authors: Kamata, Ken, Takenaka, Mamoru, Kitano, Masayuki, Omoto, Shunsuke, Miyata, Takeshi, Minaga, Kosuke, Yamao, Kentaro, Imai, Hajime, Sakurai, Tosiharu, Nishida, Naoshi, Kashida, Hiroshi, Chikugo, Takaaki, Chiba, Yasutaka, Nakai, Takuya, Takeyama, Yoshifumi, Lisotti, Andrea, Fusaroli, Pietro, Kudo, Masatoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia 01.01.2018
• Subjects: adenomyomatosis; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Contrast Media - pharmacology; contrast‐enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography; Diagnosis, Differential; endoscopic ultrasonography; Endosonography - methods; Female; Follow-Up Studies; gallbladder; gallbladder carcinoma; Gallbladder Diseases - diagnosis; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Reproducibility of Results; Retrospective Studies; Time Factors; Young Adult; endoscopic ultrasonography; gallbladder; contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography; adenomyomatosis; gallbladder carcinoma
• ISSN: 0915-5635; 1443-1661
• DOI: 10.1111/den.12900

Background and Aim Differential diagnosis of localized gallbladder lesions is challenging. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the utility of contrast‐enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography (CH‐EUS) for diagnosis of localized gallbladder lesions. Methods One hundred and twenty‐five patients with localized gallbladder lesions were evaluated by CH‐EUS between March 2007 and February 2014. This was a single‐center retrospective study. Utilities of fundamental B‐mode EUS (FB‐EUS) and CH‐EUS in the differentiation of gallbladder lesions and sludge plug were initially compared. Thereafter, these two examinations were compared with respect to their accuracy in the diagnosis of malignant lesions. Five reviewers blinded to the clinicopathological results evaluated microcirculation patterns in the vascular and perfusion images. Results In the differentiation between gallbladder lesions and sludge plug, FB‐EUS had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 82%, 100%, and 95%, respectively, whereas CH‐EUS had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 100%, 99%, and 99%, respectively. FB‐EUS‐based diagnosis of carcinomas based on tumor size and/or shape had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 61–87%, 71–88%, and 74–86%, respectively. Additional information regarding irregular vessel patterns in the vascular image and/or heterogeneous enhancement in the perfusion image on CH‐EUS increased the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the diagnosis of carcinomas to 90%, 98%, and 96%, respectively. There was a significant difference between FB‐EUS and CH‐EUS in terms of carcinoma diagnosis. Conclusion CH‐EUS was useful for the evaluation of localized gallbladder lesions.