This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Maruyama, H Articles by Sasamata, M Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Maruyama, H Articles by Sasamata, M

Real-time blood-pool images of contrast enhanced ultrasound with Definity in the detection of tumour nodules in the liver

¹ Department of Medicine and Clinical Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1, Inohana, Chuou-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, ² Toshiba Corporation, Medical Systems Company, 1385, Shimoishigami, Otawara-shi, Tochigi, 324-8550 and ³ Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Institute for Drug Discovery Research, Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 21, Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, 305-8585, Japan

Lower mechanical index (MI) technique with newer microbubble agents has been introduced into clinical practice as a newer ultrasound (US) imaging. However, the efficacy in detecting tumour nodules has not been proven scientifically. The aim of this study was to elucidate the efficacy of a blood-pool image of real-time contrast-enhanced US under low MI in detecting liver tumours. 15 rabbits with VX-2 tumour were used; the number of implantations was none in two rabbits, one in four, two in five and three in four. US equipment was APLIO (Toshiba) with linear probe (3.5/7.0 MHz). The number, location and size of tumour nodules were examined by non-contrast tissue harmonic imaging (NC-US) or contrast-enhanced pulse subtraction harmonic imaging (C-US) under extra-low MI (MI 0.065) with the injection of Definity (30 µl kg^–1). The number of tumour nodules detected by both NC-US and C-US were consistent with the histopathological results in five rabbits – two with none, two with one nodule and one with two nodules. In the other 10 rabbits, C-US showed all the implanted tumours and small daughter nodules around them that were confirmed by histopathology. However, NC-US failed to demonstrate two implanted nodules and all the daughter nodules. On the basis of the histopathological results, detectability of implanted tumour was not significantly different between NC-US (24/26, 92.3%) and C-US (26/26, 100%). However C-US was superior to NC-US in delineating the nodules and in detecting small daughter nodules. The sizes of the implanted tumour nodules measured by histopathology correlated closely with those measured by C-US. Real-time blood-pool images by pulse subtraction harmonic imaging under extra-low MI with Definity will contribute to the improvement of the ultrasound delineation and detection of liver tumours.