Doppler sonographic enhancement of hepatic hemangiomas and hepatocellular carcinomas after perflenapent emulsion: Preliminary study

Ultrasonographic microbubble contrast agents improve Doppler signals by inc reasing blood backscatter. We retrospectively reviewed our experience with perflenapent (EchoGen), an emulsion of liquid dodecafluoropentane, in the e valuation of 13 patients with focal hepatic lesions (10 hemangiomas and six hepatocellular carcinomas). Perflenapent improved the detection of color D oppler flow signals within the lesions. The hemangiomas showed peripheral n onpulsatile signals and the hepatocellular carcinomas showed more diffuse e nhancement with both arterial and venous type signals. This preliminary stu dy suggests that perflenapent administration may aid in the sonographic dif ferentiation of these focal lesions.