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

Table 1 Clinical and biochemical characteristics of the three study groups (mean ± SD)

Group characteristics	Controls n = 10	Patients with chronic liver disease
		Non-cirrhotic n = 20	Cirrhoticn = 20
Age (yr)	48.5 ± 14.4	48.9 ± 12.4	57.7 ± 11.4
Males, n (%)	4 (40)	12 (60)c	17 (85)c
Viral etiology (HBV/HCV)	0/0	2/18	4/16
Necroinflammatory score
A0	-	3	0
A1	-	10	0
A2	-	7	3
A3	-	0	1
Fibrosis score
F0	-	5	0
F1	-	6	0
F2	-	4	0
F3	-	5	0
F4	-	0	4
ALT (IU/L)	22.3 ± 5.2	113.8 ± 89.1c	76.9 ± 59.2c
Bilirubin (mg/dL)	0.6 ± 0.1	0.7 ± 0.4	1.5 ± 0.9a
Albumin (g/dL)	3.7 ± 0.3	4.1 ± 0.4	3 ± 0.8a
INR	1.1 ± 0.1	1 ± 0.1	1.2 ± 0.2e

^aP < 0.05 vs other groups;

^cP < 0.05 vs control group;

^eP < 0.05 vs non-cirrhotic group. ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; INR: International normalized ratio; A0: No activity; A1: Mild activity; A2: Moderate activity; A3: Severe activity; F0: No fibrosis; F1: Portal fibrosis without septa; F2: Portal fibrosis with few septa; F3: Numerous septa without cirrhosis; F4: Cirrhosis.

Table 2 Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography parameters calculated with Qontrast software in the three study groups (mean ± SD)

Perfusion parameter	Controls		Non-cirrhotic patients		Cirrhotic patients
	ROI with HV	ROI without HV	ROI with HV	ROI without HV	ROI with HV	ROI without HV
TTP (s)	86.3 ± 20.3	86.8 ± 24.9	82.4 ± 15.6	78.2 ± 12.0	71.0 ± 11.3a	73.7 ± 17.8
Peak (%)	18.9 ± 7.1	18.5 ± 7.8	25.9 ± 7.8c	23.1 ± 8.9	23.9 ± 5.9e	25.5 ± 6.6
RBV	2828.7 ± 1720	2827.4 ± 1642.1	3402.3 ± 1515.1	2734.9 ± 1327.5	2809.3 ± 1111.6	3031.9 ± 1000.2
RBF	21.4 ± 9.5	21.4 ± 10.5	29.3 ± 10.5	25.6 ± 11.1	27.2 ± 7.9	28.8 ± 8.1
MTT (s)	139.4 ± 39.8	128.4 ± 37.8	110.3 ± 14.6c	105.8 ± 17.1c	111.9 ± 22.0c	104.7 ± 24.4c

MTT: Mean transit time; RBV: Regional blood volume; RBF: Regional blood flow; TTP: Time to peak; ROI: Region of interest; HV: Hepatic vein.

^aP < 0.05 vs other groups;

^cP < 0.05 vs control group;

^eP = 0.05 vs control group.