Ultrasonographic arterial portography with second harmonic imaging: Evaluation of hepatic parenchymal enhancement with portal venous flow

Ultrasonographic arterial portography was evaluated with second harmonic an d conventional gray scale imaging after the administration of 0.001 to 0.1 ml/kg of FS069 (Optison) in 10 dogs (four dogs with Ligation of the portal vein branch) and two woodchucks with hepatocellular carcinomas. Harmonic im aging was required to obtain good liver parenchymal enhancement for ultraso nographic arterial portography to be useful. The tumors were visible as reg ions of greater enhancement after intravenous injection and as hypoechoic r egions after superior mesenteric artery injection. The segments with portal vein Ligation were not detected after intravenous injection but were clear ly seen after superior mesenteric artery injection. Doppler signal measurem ent verified a significant difference between the portal vein and hepatic v ein after superior mesenteric artery injection and in the femoral artery af ter intravenous versus superior mesenteric artery injection, demonstrating that minimal levels of FS069 pass through the liver.