AIM: To evaluate in a multicenter study whether the sonographic characterization of focal liver lesions can be improved using SonoVue-enhancement; and to compare this method with computed tomography (CT) and magnet...AIM: To evaluate in a multicenter study whether the sonographic characterization of focal liver lesions can be improved using SonoVue-enhancement; and to compare this method with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: One hundred and thirty four patients withone focal liver lesion detected in baseline ultrasound (US) were examined with conventional US, contrastenhanced US (n = 134), contrast-enhanced CT (n = 115) and/or dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (n = 70). The lesions were classified as malignant, benign or indeterminate and the type of lesion was determined. The final diagnosis based on the combined information of all imaging examinations, clinical information and histology (n = 32) was used. Comparisons were made to see whether the addition of contrast-enhanced US led to the improvement of the characterization of doubtful focal liver lesions.RESULTS: In comparison with unenhanced US, SonoVue markedly improves sensitivity and specificity for the characterization (malignant/benign) of focal liver lesions. In comparison with CT and/or dynamic MRI, SonoVue -enhanced sonography applied for characterization of focal liver lesions was 30.2% more sensitive in the recognition of malignancy and 16.1% more specific in the exclusion of malignancy and overall 22.9% more accurate. In the subgroup with confirmative histology available (n = 30), sensitivity was 95.5% (CEUS), 72.2% (CT) and 81.8% (MRI), and specificity was 75.0% (CEUS), 37.5% (CT) and 42.9% (MRI). The sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for the identification of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) and hemangiomas was 100% and 87%, resulting in an accuracy of 94.5%.CONCLUSION: SonoVue-enhanced sonography emerges as the most sensitive, ost specific and thus most accurate imaging modality for the characterization of focal liver lesions.展开更多
A primary benign schwannoma of the liver is extremely rare and is difficult to preoperatively discriminate from a malignant tumor.We compared the imaging and pathological findings,and examined the possibility of preop...A primary benign schwannoma of the liver is extremely rare and is difficult to preoperatively discriminate from a malignant tumor.We compared the imaging and pathological findings,and examined the possibility of preoperatively diagnosing a benign liver schwannoma.A 72-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of a 4.6-cm mass in the liver.A malignant tumor was suspected,and a right hepatectomy was performed.After this,the diagnosis of a primary benign schwannoma of the liver was made through pathological examination.Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(CEUS) with Sonazoid showed minute blood flows into the septum and solid areas of the tumor in the vascular phase;most likely due to increased arterial flow associated with infiltration of chronic inflammatory cells.In the postvascular phase,CEUS showed contrast defect of cystic areas and delayed enhancement of solid areas;most likely due to aggregation of siderophores.Because discriminating between a benign and malignant schwannoma of the liver is difficult,surgery is generally recommended.However,the two key findings from CEUS may be useful in discriminating ancient schwannoma by recognizing the hemorrhage involved in the secondary degeneration and aggregation of siderophores.展开更多
AIM: To compare the sensitivity and specificity of two imaging techniques, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in patients with rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy...AIM: To compare the sensitivity and specificity of two imaging techniques, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in patients with rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. And we compared EUS and MRI data with histological findings from surgical specimens. METHODS: Thirty-nine consecutive patients (51.3% Male; mean age: 68.2 + 8.9 years) with histologically confirmed distal rectal cancer were examined for staging. All patients underwent EUS and MRI imaging before and after neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. RESULTS: After neoadjuvant chemoradiation, EUS and MRI correctly classified 46% (18/39) and 44% (17/39) of patients, respectively, in line with their histological T stage (P 〉 0.05). These proportions were higher for both techniques when nodal involvement was considered: 69% (27/39) and 62% (24/39). When patients were sorted into T and N subgroups, the diagnostic accuracy of EUS was better than MRI for patients with T0-T2 (44% vs 33%, P 〉 0.05) and NO disease (87% vs 52%, P = 0.013). However, MRI was more accurate than EUS in T and N staging for patients with more advanced disease after radiotherapy, though these differences did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: EUS and MRI are accurate imaging techniques for staging rectal cancer, However, after neoadjuvant RT-CT, the role of both methods in the assessment of residual rectal tumors remains uncertain.展开更多
AIM: To evaluate the agreement between transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in classification of ≥ T3 rectal tumors. METHODS: From January 2010 to January 2012, 86 consecutive pati...AIM: To evaluate the agreement between transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in classification of ≥ T3 rectal tumors. METHODS: From January 2010 to January 2012, 86 consecutive patients with ≥ T3 tumors were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 66.4 years (range: 26-91 years). The tumors were all ≥ T3 on TRUS. The sub-classification was defined by the penetration of the rectal wall: a: 0 to 1 mm; b: 1-5 mm, c: 6-15; d: 〉 15 mm. Early tumors as ab (≤ 5 ram) and advanced tumors as cd (〉 5 mm). All patients underwent TRUS using a 6.5 MHz transrectal transducer. The MRI was performed with a 1.5 T Phil- ips unit. The TRUS findings were blinded to the radiol- ogist performing the interpretation of the MRI images and measuring the depth of extramural tumor spread RESULTS: TRUS found 51 patients to have an early ≥ T3 tumors and 35 to have an advanced tumor, where- as MRI categorized 48 as early ≥ T3 tumors and 38 as advanced tumors. No patients with tumors classified as advanced by TRUS were found to be early on MRI. The kappa value in classifying early versus advanced T3 rectal tumors was 0.93 (95% CI: 0.85-1.00). We found a kappa value of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.63-0.86) for the total sub-classification between the two methods. The mean maximal tumor outgrowth measured by TRUS, 5.5 mm ± 5.63 mm and on MRI, 6.3 mm ±6.18 mm, P = 0.004. In 19 of the 86 patients the following CT scan or surgery revealed distant metastases; of the 51 patients in the ultrasound ab group three (5.9%) had metastases, whereas 16 (45.7%) of 35 in the cd group harbored distant metastases, P = 0.00002. The odds ratio of having distant metastases in the ultra- sound cd group compared to the ab group was 13.5 (95% CI: 3.5-51.6), P = 0.00002. The mean maximal ultrasound measured outgrowth was 4.3 mm (95% CI: 3.2-5.5 mm) in patients without distant metastases, while the mean maximal outgrowth was 9.5 mm (95% CI: 6.2-12.8 ram) in the patients with metastases, P = 0.00004. Using the MRI classification three (6.3%) of 48 in the MRI ab group had distant metastases, while 16 (42.1%) of the 38 in the MRI cd group, P = 0.00004. The MRI odds ratio was 10.9 (95% CI: 2.9-41.4), P = 0.00008. The mean maximal MRI measured out- growth was 4.9 mm (95% CI: 3.7-6.1 turn) in patients without distant metastases, while the mean maximal outgrowth was 11.5 mm (95% CI: 7.8-15.2 mm) in the patients with metastases, P = 0.000006. CONCLUSION: There is good agreement between TRUS and MRI in the pretreatment sub-classification of ≥ T3 tumors. Distant metastases are more frequent in the advanced group.展开更多
We present the gray-scale ultrasonography (GSUS), power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS), abdominal computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings for a case of splenic hamartoma in a 27...We present the gray-scale ultrasonography (GSUS), power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS), abdominal computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings for a case of splenic hamartoma in a 27-year-old man, showing a φ 50 mm homogeneous, iso- and hypo-echoic splenic mass with evidence of a small plural cystic lesion. This splenic hamartoma showed increased vascularity on power Doppler sonograms. PDUS showed multiple circular blood flow signals inside the mass (i.e. a basket pattern), which was consistent with the small plural cystic lesion shown by GSUS. Spectral analysis also confirmed arterial and venous flow. CT scans showed that the mass had lowdensity relative to the normal spleen and MRI showed that the mass was isodense, relative to the normal spleen. Therefore, CT and MRI are not useful for the diagnosis of splenic hamartoma. Ultrasonography can be used to diagnose splenic hamartoma without administration of a contrast matedal and therefore is an indispensable method for the diagnosis of splenic hamartoma.展开更多
文摘AIM: To evaluate in a multicenter study whether the sonographic characterization of focal liver lesions can be improved using SonoVue-enhancement; and to compare this method with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: One hundred and thirty four patients withone focal liver lesion detected in baseline ultrasound (US) were examined with conventional US, contrastenhanced US (n = 134), contrast-enhanced CT (n = 115) and/or dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (n = 70). The lesions were classified as malignant, benign or indeterminate and the type of lesion was determined. The final diagnosis based on the combined information of all imaging examinations, clinical information and histology (n = 32) was used. Comparisons were made to see whether the addition of contrast-enhanced US led to the improvement of the characterization of doubtful focal liver lesions.RESULTS: In comparison with unenhanced US, SonoVue markedly improves sensitivity and specificity for the characterization (malignant/benign) of focal liver lesions. In comparison with CT and/or dynamic MRI, SonoVue -enhanced sonography applied for characterization of focal liver lesions was 30.2% more sensitive in the recognition of malignancy and 16.1% more specific in the exclusion of malignancy and overall 22.9% more accurate. In the subgroup with confirmative histology available (n = 30), sensitivity was 95.5% (CEUS), 72.2% (CT) and 81.8% (MRI), and specificity was 75.0% (CEUS), 37.5% (CT) and 42.9% (MRI). The sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for the identification of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) and hemangiomas was 100% and 87%, resulting in an accuracy of 94.5%.CONCLUSION: SonoVue-enhanced sonography emerges as the most sensitive, ost specific and thus most accurate imaging modality for the characterization of focal liver lesions.
文摘A primary benign schwannoma of the liver is extremely rare and is difficult to preoperatively discriminate from a malignant tumor.We compared the imaging and pathological findings,and examined the possibility of preoperatively diagnosing a benign liver schwannoma.A 72-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of a 4.6-cm mass in the liver.A malignant tumor was suspected,and a right hepatectomy was performed.After this,the diagnosis of a primary benign schwannoma of the liver was made through pathological examination.Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(CEUS) with Sonazoid showed minute blood flows into the septum and solid areas of the tumor in the vascular phase;most likely due to increased arterial flow associated with infiltration of chronic inflammatory cells.In the postvascular phase,CEUS showed contrast defect of cystic areas and delayed enhancement of solid areas;most likely due to aggregation of siderophores.Because discriminating between a benign and malignant schwannoma of the liver is difficult,surgery is generally recommended.However,the two key findings from CEUS may be useful in discriminating ancient schwannoma by recognizing the hemorrhage involved in the secondary degeneration and aggregation of siderophores.
文摘AIM: To compare the sensitivity and specificity of two imaging techniques, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in patients with rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. And we compared EUS and MRI data with histological findings from surgical specimens. METHODS: Thirty-nine consecutive patients (51.3% Male; mean age: 68.2 + 8.9 years) with histologically confirmed distal rectal cancer were examined for staging. All patients underwent EUS and MRI imaging before and after neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. RESULTS: After neoadjuvant chemoradiation, EUS and MRI correctly classified 46% (18/39) and 44% (17/39) of patients, respectively, in line with their histological T stage (P 〉 0.05). These proportions were higher for both techniques when nodal involvement was considered: 69% (27/39) and 62% (24/39). When patients were sorted into T and N subgroups, the diagnostic accuracy of EUS was better than MRI for patients with T0-T2 (44% vs 33%, P 〉 0.05) and NO disease (87% vs 52%, P = 0.013). However, MRI was more accurate than EUS in T and N staging for patients with more advanced disease after radiotherapy, though these differences did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: EUS and MRI are accurate imaging techniques for staging rectal cancer, However, after neoadjuvant RT-CT, the role of both methods in the assessment of residual rectal tumors remains uncertain.
文摘AIM: To evaluate the agreement between transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in classification of ≥ T3 rectal tumors. METHODS: From January 2010 to January 2012, 86 consecutive patients with ≥ T3 tumors were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 66.4 years (range: 26-91 years). The tumors were all ≥ T3 on TRUS. The sub-classification was defined by the penetration of the rectal wall: a: 0 to 1 mm; b: 1-5 mm, c: 6-15; d: 〉 15 mm. Early tumors as ab (≤ 5 ram) and advanced tumors as cd (〉 5 mm). All patients underwent TRUS using a 6.5 MHz transrectal transducer. The MRI was performed with a 1.5 T Phil- ips unit. The TRUS findings were blinded to the radiol- ogist performing the interpretation of the MRI images and measuring the depth of extramural tumor spread RESULTS: TRUS found 51 patients to have an early ≥ T3 tumors and 35 to have an advanced tumor, where- as MRI categorized 48 as early ≥ T3 tumors and 38 as advanced tumors. No patients with tumors classified as advanced by TRUS were found to be early on MRI. The kappa value in classifying early versus advanced T3 rectal tumors was 0.93 (95% CI: 0.85-1.00). We found a kappa value of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.63-0.86) for the total sub-classification between the two methods. The mean maximal tumor outgrowth measured by TRUS, 5.5 mm ± 5.63 mm and on MRI, 6.3 mm ±6.18 mm, P = 0.004. In 19 of the 86 patients the following CT scan or surgery revealed distant metastases; of the 51 patients in the ultrasound ab group three (5.9%) had metastases, whereas 16 (45.7%) of 35 in the cd group harbored distant metastases, P = 0.00002. The odds ratio of having distant metastases in the ultra- sound cd group compared to the ab group was 13.5 (95% CI: 3.5-51.6), P = 0.00002. The mean maximal ultrasound measured outgrowth was 4.3 mm (95% CI: 3.2-5.5 mm) in patients without distant metastases, while the mean maximal outgrowth was 9.5 mm (95% CI: 6.2-12.8 ram) in the patients with metastases, P = 0.00004. Using the MRI classification three (6.3%) of 48 in the MRI ab group had distant metastases, while 16 (42.1%) of the 38 in the MRI cd group, P = 0.00004. The MRI odds ratio was 10.9 (95% CI: 2.9-41.4), P = 0.00008. The mean maximal MRI measured out- growth was 4.9 mm (95% CI: 3.7-6.1 turn) in patients without distant metastases, while the mean maximal outgrowth was 11.5 mm (95% CI: 7.8-15.2 mm) in the patients with metastases, P = 0.000006. CONCLUSION: There is good agreement between TRUS and MRI in the pretreatment sub-classification of ≥ T3 tumors. Distant metastases are more frequent in the advanced group.
文摘We present the gray-scale ultrasonography (GSUS), power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS), abdominal computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings for a case of splenic hamartoma in a 27-year-old man, showing a φ 50 mm homogeneous, iso- and hypo-echoic splenic mass with evidence of a small plural cystic lesion. This splenic hamartoma showed increased vascularity on power Doppler sonograms. PDUS showed multiple circular blood flow signals inside the mass (i.e. a basket pattern), which was consistent with the small plural cystic lesion shown by GSUS. Spectral analysis also confirmed arterial and venous flow. CT scans showed that the mass had lowdensity relative to the normal spleen and MRI showed that the mass was isodense, relative to the normal spleen. Therefore, CT and MRI are not useful for the diagnosis of splenic hamartoma. Ultrasonography can be used to diagnose splenic hamartoma without administration of a contrast matedal and therefore is an indispensable method for the diagnosis of splenic hamartoma.