Definition of Contrast Enhancement Phases of the Liver Using a Perfluoro-Based Microbubble Agent, Perflubutane Microbubbles

• Published in: Ultrasound in medicine & biology Vol. 35; no. 11; pp. 1819 - 1827
• Main Authors: Shunichi, Sasaki, Hiroko, Iijima, Fuminori, Moriyasu, Waki, Hidehiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.11.2009
• Subjects: Adult; Contrast Media - pharmacokinetics; Contrast ultrasound; Female; Fluorocarbons - pharmacokinetics; hepatic artery; Hepatic Artery - diagnostic imaging; Hepatic Artery - metabolism; hepatic vein; Hepatic Veins - diagnostic imaging; Hepatic Veins - metabolism; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods; Kupffer Cells - diagnostic imaging; Kupffer Cells - metabolism; Kupffer phase; Liver; Liver - blood supply; Liver - diagnostic imaging; Liver - metabolism; Male; Microbubbles; Parenchyma; Perflubutane microbubbles; Portal vein; Portal Vein - diagnostic imaging; Portal Vein - metabolism; Radiology; Sonazoid; Time-intensity curves; Ultrasonography; Ultrasound; Vascular phase; Young Adult; Kupffer phase; Contrast ultrasound; Time-intensity curves; Perflubutane microbubbles; Sonazoid; Vascular phase
• ISSN: 0301-5629; 1879-291X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2009.05.013

Abstract To define the contrast enhancement phases in the liver with perflubutane microbubbles, the liver enhancement time-intensity curves were investigated in 14 healthy volunteers. The agent was injected intravenously as a bolus and the liver was imaged with an ultrasound scanner as long as 4 h after the injection. Time-intensity curves from the hepatic artery, the intrahepatic portal vein, the hepatic vein and the parenchyma of the liver were obtained from the liver ultrasound images. The arrival of the agent in the hepatic artery, the portal vein and the hepatic vein were visually distinguishable and the mean arrival times were 19.2, 24.3 and 32.2 s after the injection, respectively. The signal intensity in these vessels increased rapidly after the arrival of the contrast and gradually reverted to baseline after the peak. In contrast, within 5 min after the injection, the intensity in the parenchyma increased and reached a plateau, which persisted for at least 2 h. The contrast enhancement phases in the liver with perflubutane microbubbles could be defined as two major phases—a vascular phase, in which the vessels are enhanced between 15 s and 10 min after injection, and a Kupffer phase, in which the parenchyma is enhanced 10 min after injection. The vascular phase is divided into three subphases: the arterial phase (15 to 45 s after injection); the portal phase (45 s to 1 min after injection); and the vasculo-Kupffer phase (1 to 10 min after injection). (E-mail: hiroko-i@hyo-med.ac.jp )