Diagnostic Advances
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Radiol. Mar 28, 2014; 6(3): 31-35
Published online Mar 28, 2014. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v6.i3.31
Contrast enhanced ultrasound with quantitative perfusion analysis for objective characterization of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: A feasibility study
Mirko D’Onofrio, Stefano Canestrini, Stefano Crosara, Riccardo De Robertis, Roberto Pozzi Mucelli
Mirko D’Onofrio, Stefano Canestrini, Stefano Crosara, Riccardo De Robertis, Roberto Pozzi Mucelli, Department of Radiology, University Hospital G.B. Rossi, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
Author contributions: D’Onofrio M performed the majority of experiments; Canestrini S, Crosara S and De Robertis R provided data analysis; Pozzi Mucelli R did the supervision; D’Onofrio M designed the study; D’Onofrio M and Canestrini S wrote the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Mirko D’Onofrio, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology, University Hospital G.B. Rossi, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy. mirko.donofrio@univr.it
Telephone: +39-45-8124140 Fax: +39-45-8277808
Received: September 30, 2013
Revised: December 10, 2013
Accepted: January 17, 2014
Published online: March 28, 2014
Processing time: 199 Days and 18.3 Hours
Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) quantitative perfusion analysis allows an objective characterization of ductal adenocarcinoma (ADK) of the pancreas. Patients with pancreatic ADK underwent CEUS. All examinations were performed on an Acuson S2000 system (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) after the iv administration of 2.4 mL contrast agent (SonoVue®, Bracco, Milan, Italy). All lesions were pathologically proved. An operator manually drew different regions of interest within the tumor and the adjacent parenchyma to allow the quantitative perfusion analysis. The mean values of peak of enhancement, time to peak and ascending curve were calculated and compared using the Student’s t test. The quantitative perfusion analysis was possible in all lesions. The mean values of the peak of enhancement, time to peak and ascending curve were 17.19%, 7.97 s and 159.52% s within the tumor and 33.57%, 8.89 s and 355.29% s within the adjacent parenchyma. The peak of enhancement and the ascending curve values were significantly different within the tumor and the adjacent parenchyma. Thus, CEUS allows the quantitative perfusion analysis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Keywords: Contrast enhanced ultrasound; Pancreatic adenocarcinoma; Perfusion analysis; Quantitative imaging

Core tip: Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a new imaging method powerful in the visualization of vascularization and analysis of perfusion of organs and neoplasms. The application for the study of pancreatic diseases is of extreme interest. CEUS quantitative perfusion analysis can provide objective parameters for the characterization of masses detected by means of an ultrasound situation that is particularly common in European and Asian countries.