Improved imaging of liver metastases with stimulated acoustic emission in the late phase of enhancement with the US contrast agent SH U 508A: Early experience
Mjk. Blomley et al., Improved imaging of liver metastases with stimulated acoustic emission in the late phase of enhancement with the US contrast agent SH U 508A: Early experience, RADIOLOGY, 210(2), 1999, pp. 409-416
Citations number
19
Categorie Soggetti
Radiology ,Nuclear Medicine & Imaging","Medical Research Diagnosis & Treatment
PURPOSE: To see whether stimulated acoustic emission (SAE) in the liver par
enchyma in the late phase of enhancement with SH U 508A increases the consp
icuity of occult metastases at ultrasonography (US).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients with known hypo- or hypervascular
hepatic metastases underwent US after SH U 508A administration, after a del
ay of at least 5 minutes, to ensure decay of blood pool enhancement. In 16
patients with visible metastases, conspicuity was compared on registered SA
E and gray-scale scans by two blinded readers and by using computerized ana
lysis of relative gray-scale and color Doppler conspicuity scores inside an
d outside the lesion. In nine patients, areas suspected of being involved b
ut without definite gray-scale masses were imaged in the same way. Paired s
ections were analyzed by two blinded readers looking for parenchymal color
deflects without corresponding gray-scale masses; nine control images from
three healthy volunteers were also included.
RESULTS: Intense, transient parenchymal SAE was seen in all subjects. All m
etastases appeared as areas of reduced or absent signal. The conspicuity sc
ore was 80% for SAE versus 9% for gray-scale US (P < .001,Wilcoxon signed r
ank test). SAE-specific II defects were seen in all patients but in none of
the volunteers. Metastases seen on SAE but undetectable on gray-scale imag
es were proved in three patients.
CONCLUSION: SAE with SH U 508A improves the conspicuity of metastases. SAE-
specific defects may reveal isoechoic or subtle metastases.