Liver Cancer
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2005. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 28, 2005; 11(36): 5607-5613
Published online Sep 28, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i36.5607
1.5 Harmonic Imaging Sonography with microbubble contrast agent improves characterization of hepatocellular carcinoma
Kouji Yamamoto, Katsuya Shiraki, Shigeo Nakanishi, Hiroyuki Fuke, Takeshi Nakano, Akira Hashimoto, Atsuya Shimizu, Toshinobu Hamataki
Kouji Yamamoto, Katsuya Shiraki, Shigeo Nakanishi, Hiroyuki Fuke, Takeshi Nakano, First Department of Internal Medicine, Mie University School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
Akira Hashimoto, Atsuya Shimizu, Department of Internal Medicine, Saiseikai Matsusaka General Hospital, Matsusaka, Mie 515-8557, Japan
Toshinobu Hamataki, Sales Engineering Department, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, Nagoya, Aichi 450-0003, Japan
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Katsuya Shiraki, MD, PhD, First Department of Internal Medicine, Mie University School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan. katsuyas@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-59-231-5015 Fax: +81-59-231-5201
Received: January 7, 2005
Revised: February 13, 2005
Accepted: February 18, 2005
Published online: September 28, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the usefulness of 1.5 Harmonic Imaging Sonography with the use of the contrast agent Levovist for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and for the evaluation of therapeutic response.

METHODS: Phantom experiments were performed to compare the contrast effects of 2nd harmonic imaging and 1.5 Harmonic Imaging Sonography. 1.5 Harmonic Imaging Sonography was employed to examine 36 patients with HCC (42 nodules) before and after the treatment and to compare against the findings obtained using other diagnostic imaging modalities.

RESULTS: In 1.5 Harmonic Imaging Sonography, the tumor vessels of HCCs were clearly identified during the early phase, and late-phase images clearly demonstrated the differences in contrast enhancement between the tumor and surrounding hepatic parenchyma. Blood flow within the tumor was detected in 36 nodules (85.7%) during the early phase and in all 42 nodules (100%) during the late phase using 1.5 Harmonic Imaging Sonography, in 38 nodules (90.5%) using contrast-enhanced CT, in 34 nodules (81.0%) using digital subtraction angiography (DSA), and in 42 nodules (100%) using US CO2 angiography. Following transcatheter arterial embolization, 1.5 Harmonic Imaging Sonography detected blood flow and contrast enhancement within the tumors that were judged to contain viable tissue in 20 of 42 nodules (47.6%). However, 6 of these 20 cases were not judged in contrast-enhanced CT. 1.5 Harmonic Imaging Sonography was compared with the US CO2 angiography findings as the gold standard, and the sensitivity and specificity of these images for discerning viable and nonviable HCC after transcatheter arterial embolization were 100% and 100%, respectively.

CONCLUSION: 1.5 Harmonic Imaging Sonography permits the vascular structures of HCCs to be identified and blood flow within the tumor to be clearly demonstrated. Furthermore, 1.5 Harmonic Imaging Sonography is potentially useful for evaluating the therapeutic effects of transcatheter arterial embolization on HCC.

Keywords: 1.5 Harmonic imaging sonography; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Microbubble