摘要
In the last years, the development in the oncology field has been huge and rapid. In particular, the evaluation of response to anti-tumour treatments has been being object of intense research, producing significant changes. Response assessment after therapy in solid neoplasias has always used radiological imaging techniques, with tumour size reduction representing a presumed therapeutic efficacy. However, with the introduction of anti-angiogenetic drugs the evaluation of tumour size has become unsuitable because some tumours, under treatment, show only tumour perfusion changes rather than lesion shrinkage. Between different imaging techniques with contrast-enhancement, contrastenhanced ultrasound(CEUS) and, in particular, dynamic CEUS have arisen as a promising and non-invasive device for monitoring cancer treatments. Moreover, the introduction of perfusion software has even more refined the technique since it is able to provide quantitative parameters related to blood flow and blood volume that can be associated with tumour response and clinical outcome such as the progression free survival and the overall survival. Here, we give an overview of the current status of CEUS in monitoring hepatocellular carcinoma response to different kind of treatments.
In the last years, the development in the oncology fieldhas been huge and rapid. In particular, the evaluationof response to anti-tumour treatments has been beingobject of intense research, producing significant changes.Response assessment after therapy in solid neoplasiashas always used radiological imaging techniques,with tumour size reduction representing a presumedtherapeutic efficacy. However, with the introductionof anti-angiogenetic drugs the evaluation of tumoursize has become unsuitable because some tumours,under treatment, show only tumour perfusion changesrather than lesion shrinkage. Between different imagingtechniques with contrast-enhancement, contrastenhancedultrasound （CEUS） and, in particular, dynamicCEUS have arisen as a promising and non-invasivedevice for monitoring cancer treatments. Moreover, theintroduction of perfusion software has even more refinedthe technique since it is able to provide quantitativeparameters related to blood flow and blood volume thatcan be associated with tumour response and clinicaloutcome such as the progression free survival and theoverall survival. Here, we give an overview of the currentstatus of CEUS in monitoring hepatocellular carcinomaresponse to different kind of treatments.
