Clinical application of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasound in evaluating the preoperative T staging of gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Oral contrast-enhanced ultrasound(OCEUS)is widely used in the noninvasive diagnosis and screening of gastric cancer(GC)in China.AIM To investigate the clinical application of OCEUS in evaluating the preoperative T staging of gastric cancer.METHODS OCEUS was performed before the operation,and standard ultrasound images were retained.The depth of infiltration of GC(T-stage)was evaluated according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition of the tumor-nodemetastasis staging criteria.Finally,with postoperative pathological staging as the gold standard reference,the sensitivity,specificity,negative predictive value,positive predictive value,and diagnostic value of OCEUS T staging were evaluated.RESULTS OCEUS achieved diagnostic accuracy rates of 76.6%(T1a),69.6%(T1b),62.7%(T2),60.8%(T3),88.0%(T4a),and 88.7%(T4b),with an average of 75.5%.Ultrasonic T staging sensitivity exceeded 62%,aside from T1b at 40.3%,while specificity was over 91%,except for T3 with 83.5%.The Youden index was above 60%,with T1b and T2 being exceptions.OCEUS T staging corresponded closely with pathology in T4b(kappa>0.75)and moderately in T1a,T1b,T2,T3,and T4a(kappa 0.40-0.75),registering a concordance rate exceeding 84%.CONCLUSION OCEUS was effective,reliable,and accurate in diagnosing the preoperative T staging of GC.As a noninvasive diagnostic technique,OCEUS merits clinical popularization.

Double contrast-enhanced ultrasonography improves diagnostic accuracy of T staging compared with multi-detector computed tomography in gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer(GC)is the most common malignant tumor and ranks third for cancer-related deaths among the worldwide.The disease poses a serious public health problem in China,ranking fifth for incidence and third for mortality.Knowledge of the invasive depth of the tumor is vital to treatment decisions.AIM To evaluate the diagnostic performance of double contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(DCEUS)for preoperative T staging in patients with GC by comparing with multi-detector computed tomography(MDCT).METHODS This single prospective study enrolled patients with GC confirmed by preoperative gastroscopy from July 2021 to March 2023.Patients underwent DCEUS,including ultrasonography(US)and intravenous contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(CEUS),and MDCT examinations for the assessment of preoperative T staging.Features of GC were identified on DCEUS and criteria developed to evaluate T staging according to the 8th edition of AJCC cancer staging manual.The diagnostic performance of DCEUS was evaluated by comparing it with that of MDCT and surgical-pathological findings were considered as the gold standard.RESULTS A total of 229 patients with GC(80 T1,33 T2,59 T3 and 57 T4)were included.Overall accuracies were 86.9%for DCEUS and 61.1%for MDCT(P<0.001).DCEUS was superior to MDCT for T1(92.5%vs 70.0%,P<0.001),T2(72.7%vs 51.5%,P=0.041),T3(86.4%vs 45.8%,P<0.001)and T4(87.7%vs 70.2%,P=0.022)staging of GC.CONCLUSION DCEUS improved the diagnostic accuracy of preoperative T staging in patients with GC compared with MDCT,and constitutes a promising imaging modality for preoperative evaluation of GC to aid individualized treatment decision-making.

Contrast-enhanced guided endoscopic ultrasound procedures

Contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound(CH-EUS)can overcome the limi-tations of endoscopic ultrasound-guided acquisition by identifying microvessels inside inhomogeneous tumours and improving the characterization of these tumours.Despite the initial enthusiasm that oriented needle sampling under CH-EUS guidance could provide better diagnostic yield in pancreatic solid lesions,further studies did not confirm the supplementary values in cases of tissue acquisition guided by CH-EUS.This review details the knowledge based on the available data on contrast-guided procedures.The indications for CH-EUS tissue acquisition include isoechoic EUS lesions with poor visible delineation where CH-EUS can differentiate the lesion vascularisation from the surrounding parenchyma and also the mural nodules within biliopancreatic cystic lesions,which occur in select cases.Additionally,the roles of CH-EUS-guided therapy in patients whose pancreatic fluid collections or bile ducts that have an echogenic content have indications for drainage,and patients who have nonvisualized vessels that need to be highlighted via Doppler EUS are presented.Another indication is represented if there is a need for an immediate assessment of the post-radiofrequency ablation of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours,in which case CH-EUS can be used to reveal the incomplete tumour destruction.

Survival Analysis of Patients Undergoing Intraoperative Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound in the Surgical Treatment of Malignant Glioma

Objective:Complete resection of malignant gliomas is often challenging.Our previous study indicated that intraoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound(ICEUS)could aid in the detection of residual tumor remnants and the total removal of brain lesions.This study aimed to investigate the survival rates of patients undergoing resection with or without the use of ICEUS and to assess the impact of ICEUS on the prognosis of patients with malignant glioma.Methods:A total of 64 patients diagnosed with malignant glioma(WHO grade HI and IV)who underwent surgery between 2012 and 2018 were included.Among them,29 patients received ICEUS.The effects of ICEUS on overall survival(OS)and progression-free survival(PFS)of patients were evaluated.A quantitative analysis was performed to compare ICEUS parameters between gliomas and the surrounding tissues.Results:The ICEUS group showed better survival rates both in OS and PFS than the control group.The univariate analysis revealed that age,pathology and ICEUS were significant prognostic factors for PFS,with only age being a significant prognostic factor for OS.In multivariate analysis,age and ICEUS were significant prognostic factors for both OS and PFS.The quantitative analysis showed that the intensity and transit time of microbubbles reaching the tumors were significantly different from those of microbubbles reaching the surrounding tissue.Conclusion:ICEUS facilitates the identification of residual tumors.Age and ICEUS are prognostic factors for malignant glioma surgery,and use of ICEUS offers a better prognosis for patients with malignant glioma.

Evaluating the efficacy of percutaneous puncture biopsy guided by contrast-enhanced ultrasound for peripheral pulmonary lesions

BACKGROUND The incidence and mortality of lung cancer have increased annually.Accurate diagnosis can help improve therapeutic efficacy of interventions and prognosis.Percutaneous lung biopsy is a reliable method for the clinical diagnosis of lung cancer.Ultrasound-guided percutaneous lung biopsy technology has been widely promoted and applied in recent years.AIM To investigate the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)-guided percutaneous biopsy in peripheral pulmonary lesions.METHODS We retrospectively collected data on 237 patients with peripheral thoracic focal lesions who underwent puncture biopsy at Wuxi People’s Hospital.The patients were randomly divided into two groups:The CEUS-guided before lesion puncture group(contrast group)and conventional ultrasound-guided group(control group).Analyze the diagnostic efficacy of the puncture biopsy,impact of tumor size,and number of puncture needles and complications were analyzed and compared between the two groups.RESULTS Accurate pathological results were obtained for 92.83%(220/237)of peripheral lung lesions during the first biopsy,with an accuracy rate of 95.8%(113/118)in the contrast group and 89.9%(107/119)in the control group.The difference in the area under the curve(AUC)between the contrast and the control groups was not statistically significant(0.952 vs 0.902,respectively;P>0.05).However,when the lesion diameter≥5 cm,the diagnostic AUC of the contrast group was higher than that of the control group(0.952 vs 0.902,respectively;P<0.05).In addition,the average number of puncture needles in the contrast group was lower than that in the control group(2.58±0.53 vs 2.90±0.56,respectively;P<0.05).CONCLUSION CEUS guidance can enhance the efficiency of puncture biopsy of peripheral pulmonary lesions,especially for lesions with a diameter≥5 cm.Therefore,CEUS guidance has high clinical diagnostic value in puncture biopsy of peripheral focal lung lesions.

Clinical value of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in diagnosis of gastric tumors

BACKGROUND The incidence of gastric cancer remains high,and it is the sixth most common cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide.Oral contrastenhanced ultrasonography is a simple,non-invasive,and painless method for the diagnosis of gastric tumors.AIM To explore the diagnostic value of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for the detection of gastric tumors.METHODS The screening results based on oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and electronic gastroscopy were compared with those of the postoperative pathological examination.RESULTS Among 42 patients with gastric tumors enrolled in the study,the diagnostic accordance rate was 95.2%for oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(n=40)and 90.5%for electronic gastroscopy(n=38)compared with postoperative pathological examination.The Kappa value of consistency test with pathological findings was 0.812 for oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and 0.718 for electronic gastroscopy,and there was no significant difference between them(P=0.397).For the TNM staging of gastric tumors,the accuracy rate of oral contrast enhanced ultrasonography was 81.9%for the overall T staging and 50%,77.8%,100%,and 100%for T1,T2,T3,and T4 staging,respectively.The sensitivity and specificity were both 100%for stages T3 and T4.The diagnostic accuracy rate of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was 93.8%,80%,100%,and 100%for stages N0,N1-N3,M0,and M1,respectively.CONCLUSION The accordance rate of qualitative diagnosis by oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography is comparable to that of gastroscopy,and it could be used as the preferred method for the early screening of gastric tumors.

Ultrasomics in liver cancer: Developing a radiomics model for differentiating intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma from hepatocellular carcinoma using contrast-enhanced ultrasound

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC)represent the predominant histological types of primary liver cancer,comprising over 99%of cases.Given their differing biological behaviors,prognoses,and treatment strategies,accurately differentiating between HCC and ICC is crucial for effective clinical management.Radiomics,an emerging image processing technology,can automatically extract various quantitative image features that may elude the human eye.Reports on the application of ultrasound(US)-based radiomics methods in distinguishing HCC from ICC are limited.METHODS In our retrospective study,we included a total of 280 patients who were diagnosed with ICC(n=140)and HCC(n=140)between 1999 and 2019.These patients were divided into training(n=224)and testing(n=56)groups for analysis.US images and relevant clinical characteristics were collected.We utilized the XGBoost method to extract and select radiomics features and further employed a random forest algorithm to establish ultrasomics models.We compared the diagnostic performances of these ultrasomics models with that of radiologists.RESULTS Four distinct ultrasomics models were constructed,with the number of selected features varying between models:13 features for the US model;15 for the contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)model;13 for the combined US+CEUS model;and 21 for the US+CEUS+clinical data model.The US+CEUS+clinical data model yielded the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)among all models,achieving an AUC of 0.973 in the validation cohort and 0.971 in the test cohort.This performance exceeded even the most experienced radiologist(AUC=0.964).The AUC for the US+CEUS model(training cohort AUC=0.964,test cohort AUC=0.955)was significantly higher than that of the US model alone(training cohort AUC=0.822,test cohort AUC=0.816).This finding underscored the significant benefit of incorporating CEUS information in accurately distin-guishing ICC from HCC.CONCLUSION We developed a radiomics diagnostic model based on CEUS images capable of quickly distinguishing HCC from ICC,which outperformed experienced radiologists.

Ultrasound,contrast-enhanced ultrasound and pyelonephritis:A narrative review

Acute pyelonephritis(APN)is a bacterial infection resulting in kidney inflammation,typically arising as a complication of an ascending urinary tract infection that ascends from the bladder to the kidneys.Clinical diagnosis is generally based on clinical and laboratory findings.Recent guidelines recommend not performing diagnostic imaging unless a complicated APN is suspected or the infection affects high-risk patients such as the elderly,immunocompromised individuals,or diabetics.Contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)is a valuable tool in both the diagnosis and follow-up of APN.It aids in distinguishing small simple nephritic involvement from abscess complications and monitoring their evolution over time during antibiotic therapy.Given its lack of ionizing radiation and nephrotoxicity,CEUS is a valid diagnostic modality for approaching and monitoring pyelonephritis,improving early identification and characterization of inflammatory lesions.This review aims to summarize the main evidence on the use of ultrasound and CEUS in the diagnosis of APN and its follow-up.

Gastrointestinal contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for diagnosis and treatment of peptic ulcer in children

BACKGROUND The detection rate of peptic ulcer in children is improving,with development of diagnostic procedures.Gastroscopy is the gold standard for the diagnosis of peptic ulcer,but it is an invasive procedure.Gastrointestinal contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(CEUS)has the advantages of being painless,noninvasive,nonradioactive,easy to use,and safe.AIM To investigate the clinical value of CEUS for diagnosis and treatment of peptic ulcer in children.METHODS We investigated 43 children with digestive tract symptoms in our hospital from January 2021 to June 2022.All children were examined by routine ultrasound,gastrointestinal CEUS,and gastroscopy.The pathological results of gastroscopy were taken as the gold standard.Routine ultrasonography was performed before gastrointestinal CEUS.Conventional ultrasound showed the thickness of the gastroduodenal wall,gastric peristalsis,and the adjacent organs and tissues around the abdominal cavity.Gastrointestinal CEUS recorded the thickness of the gastroduodenal wall;the size,location and shape of the ulcer;gastric peristalsis;and adjacent organs and tissues around the abdominal cavity.The results of routine ultrasound and gastrointestinal ultrasound were compared with those of gastroscopy to evaluate the diagnostic results and coincidence rate of routine ultrasound and gastrointestinal CEUS.All children received informed consent from their guardians for CEUS.This study was reviewed and approved by the hospital medical ethics committee.RESULTS Among the 43 children,17(15 male,2 female)were diagnosed with peptic ulcer by gastroscopy.There were 26 children with nonpeptic ulcer.There were eight cases of peptic ulcer and 35 of nonpeptic ulcer diagnosed by conventional ultrasound.The diagnostic coincidence rate of peptic ulcer in children diagnosed by conventional ultrasound was 79.1%(34/43),which was significantly different from that of gastroscopy(P=0.033).It indicates that the coincidence rate of gastrointestinal contrast-enhanced ultrasound and gastroscope is low.Fifteen cases of peptic ulcer and 28 of nonpeptic ulcer were diagnosed by CEUS.The diagnostic coincidence rate of peptic ulcer in children was 95.3%(41/43).There was no significant difference between CEUS and gastroscopy(P=0.655).It indicates that the coincidence rate of gastrointestinal contrast-enhanced ultrasound and gastroscope is high.CONCLUSION Gastrointestinal CEUS has a high coincidence rate in the diagnosis of peptic ulcer in children,and can be used as a preliminary examination method.

Value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in deep angiomyxoma using a biplane transrectal probe:A case report

BACKGROUND Deep angiomyxoma(DAM)is a very rare tumor type.Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)is considered the best imaging modality for diagnosing DAM.Computed tomography(CT)is used mainly to assess the invasion range of DAM.The value of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of DAM is still controversial.Through a literature review,we summarized the current state of ultrasonic examination for DAM and reported for the first time the contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)features of DAM seen using a biplane transrectal probe.CASE SUMMARY A 37-year-old woman presented with a sacrococcygeal mass that had gradually increased in size over the previous 6 mo.MRI and CT examinations failed to allow a definite diagnosis to be made.Transperineal core needle biopsy(CNB)guided by transrectal ultrasound and CEUS was suggested after a multidisciplinary discussion.Grayscale ultrasound of the lesion showed a layered appearance with alternating hyperechoic and hypoechoic patterns.Transrectal CEUS showed a laminated distribution of the contrast agent that was consistent with the layered appearance of the tumor on grayscale ultrasound.We performed transperineal CNB of the enhanced area inside the tumor under transrectal CEUS guidance and finally made a definitive diagnosis of DAM through histopathology.The patient underwent laparoscopic-assisted transabdominal surgery combined with transperineal surgery for large pelvic tumor resection and pelvic floor peritoneal reconstruction.No recurrence or metastasis was found at the ninemonth follow-up.CONCLUSION Transrectal CEUS can show the layered perfusion characteristics of the contrast agent,guiding subsequent transperineal CNB of the enhanced area within the DAM.

Safety and efficacy of modified endoscopic ultrasound-guided selective N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate injections for gastric variceal hemorrhage in left-sided portal hypertension

BACKGROUND Gastric variceal hemorrhage is one of the primary manifestations of left-sided portal hypertension(LSPH).The hemorrhage is fatal and requires safe and effective interventions.AIM To evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of modified endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)-guided selective N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate(NBC)injections for gastric variceal hemorrhage in LSPH.METHODS A retrospective observational study of patients with LSPH-induced gastric variceal hemorrhage was conducted.Preoperative EUS evaluations were performed.Enrolled patients were divided into modified and conventional groups according to the NBC injection technique.The final selection of NBC injection technique depended on the patients’preferences and clinical status.The technical and clinical success rates,operation time,NBC doses,perioperative complications,postoperative hospital stay,and recurrent bleeding rates were analyzed,respectively.RESULTS A total of 27 patients were enrolled.No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding baseline characteristics.In comparison to patients in the conventional group,patients in the modified group demonstrated significantly reduced NBC doses(2.0±0.6 mL vs 3.1±1.0 mL;P=0.004)and increased endoscopic operation time(71.9±11.9 min vs 22.5±6.7 min;P<0.001).Meanwhile,the two groups had no significant difference in the technical and clinical success rates,perioperative complications,postoperative hospital stay,and recurrent bleeding rates.CONCLUSION Modified EUS-guided selective NBC injections demonstrated safety and efficacy for LSPH-induced gastric variceal hemorrhage,with advantages of reduced injection dose and no radiation risk.Drawbacks were time consumption and technical challenge.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided treatment of isolated gastric varices entwined with arteries:A case report

BACKGROUND Interventional endoscopic ultrasound is clinically used for the treatment of isolated gastric varices(IGVs)owing to its precise visualization.CASE SUMMARY A 39-year-old man was diagnosed with a large IGV during a routine physical examination.Endoscopic ultrasonography showed gastric varices entwined with an artery,which greatly increased the difficulty of treatment.We successfully treated the patient with endoscopic ultrasonography-guided coil embolization combined with cyanoacrylate injection.CONCLUSION Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided coil embolization combined with cyanoacrylate injection was safe and effective for the treatment of an IGV entwined with an artery.

Application of CD34 expression combined with three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography scanning in preoperative staging of gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Accurate preoperative staging of gastric cancer(GC),a common malignant tumor worldwide,is critical for appropriate treatment plans and prognosis.Dynamic three-phase enhanced computed tomography(CT)scanning for preoperative staging of GC has limitations in evaluating tumor angiogenesis.CD34,a marker on vascular endothelial cell surfaces,is promising in evaluating tumor angiogenesis.We explored the value of their combination for preoperative staging of GC to improve the efficacy and prognosis of patients with GC.Medical records of 106 patients with GC treated at the First People's Hospital of Lianyungang between February 2021 and January 2023 were retrospectively studied.All patients underwent three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT scanning before surgery,and CD34 was detected in gastroscopic biopsy specimens.Using surgical and pathological results as the gold standard,the diagnostic results of three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT scanning at different T and N stages were analyzed,and the expression of CD34-marked microvessel density(MVD)at different T and N stages was determined.The specificity and sensitivity of three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT and CD34 in T and N staging were calculated;those of the combined diagnosis of the two were evaluated in parallel.Independent factors affecting lymph node metastasis were analyzed using multiple logistic regression.RESULTS The accuracy of three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT scanning in diagnosing stages T1,T2,T3 and T4 were 68.00%,75.00%,79.41%,and 73.68%,respectively,and for diagnosing stages N0,N1,N2,and N3 were 75.68%,74.07%,85.00%,and 77.27%,respectively.CD34-marked MVD expression increased with increasing T and N stages.Specificity and sensitivity of three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT in T staging were 86.79%and 88.68%;for N staging,89.06%and 92.86%;for CD34 in T staging,64.15%and 88.68%;and for CD34 in N staging,84.38%and 78.57%,respectively.Specificity and sensitivity of joint diagnosis in T staging were 55.68%and 98.72%,and N staging were 75.15%and 98.47%,respectively,with the area under the curve for diagnosis improving accordingly.According to multivariate analysis,a longer tumor diameter,higher pathological T stage,lower differ-entiation degree,and higher expression of CD34-marked MVD were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients with GC.CONCLUSION With high accuracy in preoperatively determining the invasion depth and lymph node metastasis of GC,CD34 expression and three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT can provide a reliable basis for surgical resection.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastroenterostomy for gastric outlet obstruction in Mexico

BACKGROUND Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastroenterostomy(EUS-GE)has recently emerged as an alternative treatment for gastric outlet obstruction(GOO)in selected patients.AIM To report the initial experience of EUS-GE in patients with GOO.METHODS This study was a retrospective,observational,multicenter study in which the data from 10 patients who underwent EUS-GE due to GOO between September 2021 and May 2023 were collected.We analyzed technical success,clinical success,adverse events,and survival.Technical success was defined as adequate positioning and deployment of the stent.Clinical success was defined as the patient’s ability to tolerate oral intake without vomiting 7 d after the procedure.Postprocedural adverse events were recorded.RESULTS Eleven procedures in 10 patients with GOO were included.The mean age of the patients was 67.5 years(range:56-77 years).Malignant GOO was present in 9 patients.Technical success was achieved in 9/11 procedures(82%).Among them,clinical success was achieved in 9 patients(100%).Adverse events occurred in 1 patient(9%).The median survival was 3 months(n=7;range:1-8 months).CONCLUSION EUS-GE is a feasible therapeutic option in the treatment of GOO.

Quantitative evaluation of colorectal tumour vasculature using contrast-enhanced ultrasound:Correlation with angiogenesis and prognostic significance

BACKGROUND Ultrasound is a vital tool for the diagnosis and management of colorectal cancer(CRC).Contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)is a non-invasive,safe,and cost-effective method for evaluating tumour blood vessels,that play a crucial role in tumour growth and progression.AIM To explore CEUS’s role in the quantitative evaluation of CRC blood vessels and their correlation with angiogenesis markers and prognosis.METHODS This study prospectively enrolled 100 patients with CRC confirmed by histo-pathology.All patients received preoperative CEUS examinations.Quantitative parameters,such as peak intensity(PI),time to peak(TTP),and area under the curve(AUC),were derived from time-intensity curve(TIC)analysis.Tumour tissue samples were obtained during surgery and examined immunohistochem-ically to assess the expression of angiogenesis markers,including vascular endo-thelial growth factor(VEGF)and microvessel density(MVD).The correlation between CEUS parameters,angiogenesis markers,and clinicopathological features was evaluated using appropriate statistical tests.RESULTS Quantitative CEUS parameters(PI,TTP,and AUC)showed significant correlations with VEGF expression(P<0.001)and MVD(P<0.001),indicating a strong link between tumour blood vessels and angiogenesis.Increased PI,reduced TTP,and expanded AUC values were significantly related to higher tumour stage(P<0.001),lymph node metastasis(P<0.001),and distant metastasis(P<0.001).Furthermore,these parameters were recognized as independent predictors of overall survival and disease-free survival in multivariate analysis(P<0.001).CONCLUSION CEUS has a high potential in guiding treatment planning and predicting patient outcomes.However,more com-prehensive,multicentre studies are required to validate the clinical utility of CEUS in CRC management.

Evaluation of the Therapeutic Effect of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound on Different Types of Knee Osteoarthritis in the Elderly

Objective: To evaluate the curative effect of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) external therapy on knee osteoarthritis patients with different TCM constitutions using musculoskeletal ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, and to explore the application value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in knee joint diseases. Methods: A total of 57 patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis in Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from December 2019 to May 2021 were collected, and they were divided into qi stagnation and blood stasis type group (23 cases) and cold-dampness obstruction type group (34 cases) according to the traditional Chinese medicine method. All patients were given acupuncture combined with TCM fumigation and washing. All patients underwent musculoskeletal ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography before and after treatment, observed and recorded relevant data, and compared the treatment effects between the two groups. Results: 85.96% (49/57) of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients had suprapatellar bursa effusion, 42.1% (24/57) had iliotibial band bursae effusion, some of which had poor sound transmission, and thickened synovium was seen in most effusions, 33.33% (19/57) had osteophyte formation. Compared with before treatment, the depth of suprapatellar sac effusion in the Qi stagnation and blood stasis type group decreased after treatment (P Conclusion: Musculoskeletal contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was used to quantitatively evaluate the efficacy of TCM external therapy on KOA for different TCM constitutions. Dynamic observation of synovial lesions of knee osteoarthritis provides a valuable imaging method for evaluating the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine.

Gastric cancer in 2022:Is there still a role for endoscopic ultrasound?

Gastric cancer(GC)represents the fourth leading cause of cancer death worldwide and many factors can influence its development(diet,geographic area,genetic,Helicobacter pylori or Epstein-Barr virus infections).High quality endoscopy represents the modality of choice for GC diagnosis.The correct morphologic classification during a high-resolution endoscopy is fundamental for oncologic diagnosis,staging and therapeutic decisions.Since its initial introduction in clinical practice the endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)has been considered a valuable tool for tumor(T-)and lymph nodes(N-)staging also in GC,in order to establish the best therapeutic strategy for the patient(e.g.,upfront surgery vs neoadjuvant treatments).EUS tools as elastography,Doppler and contrast administration can improve diagnosis mainly in case of malignant lymph node evaluation.EUS has a marginal role in disease staging but has a fundamental role in case of a pre-endoscopic resection management and in the new era of endoscopic mucosal resection or submucosal dissection as minimally invasive surgery.Diagnosis and locoregional staging of GC with EUS are a method of inarguable value for the assessment of gastric wall involvement and presence of infiltrated paragastric lymph nodes.EUS can also have a role in disease restaging in those patients who have undergone neoadjuvant treatment.EUS can also have a role in the advanced phases of the disease,in facilitating palliative,minimallyinvasive treatments,such as gastroenterostomy or biliary drainages.This review intends to discuss the modern role of EUS in GC topic.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the biliary system:Potential uses and indications

Conventional ultrasound(US)is the first-line imaging investigation for biliary diseases.However,it is lack of the ability to depict the microcirculation of some lesions which may lead to failure in diagnosis for some biliary diseases.The use of contrast-enhanced US(CEUS)has reached the field of bile duct disease in recent years and promising results have been achieved.In this review,the methodology,image interpretation,enhancement pattern,clinical usefulness,and indications for CEUS in the biliary system are summarized.CEUS may be indicated in the biliary system under the following circumstances:(1)Where there is a need to make a characterization of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC);(2)For differentiation diagnosis between ICC and other tumors(i.e.hepatocellular carcinoma or liver metastasis)or infectious diseases;(3)For differentiation diagnosis between biliary cystadenoma and biliary cystadenocarcinoma;(4)To detect malignant change in Caroli’s disease;(5)To depict the extent of Klatskin’s tumor with greater clarity;(6)To make a distinction between gallbladder cholesterol polyp,adenoma and polypoid cancer;(7)To make a distinction between chronic cholecystitis with thickened wall and gallbladder cancer;(8)For differentiation diagnosis between motionless sludge and gallbladder cancer;(9)For differentiation diagnosis between common bile duct cancer and sludge or stone without acoustic shadowing;and(10)In patients who are suspected of having a drop of their percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage tube,US contrast agent can be administered to through the tube detect the site of the tube.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in differentiating malignant from benign portal vein thrombosis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Portal vein thrombosis(PVT) may occur in liver cirrhosis patients. Malignant PVT is a common complication in cirrhotic patients with concomitant hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and, in some cases, it may be even the initial sign of an undetected HCC. Detection of malignant PVT in a patient with liver cirrhosis heavily affects the therapeutic strategy. Gray-scale ultrasound(US) is widely unreliable for differentiating benign and malignant thrombi. Although effective for this differential diagnosis, fine-needle biopsy remains an invasive technique. Sensitivity of color-doppler US in detection of malignant thrombi is highly dependent on the size of the thrombus. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT) and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance(MRI) can be useful to assess the nature of portal thrombus, while limited data are currently available about the role of positron emission tomography(PET) and PET-CT. In contrast with CT, MRI, PET, and PET-CT, contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS) is a fast, effective, well tolerated and cheap technique, that can be performed even in the same session in which the thrombus has been detected. CEUS can be performed bedside and can be available also in transplanted patients. Moreover, CT and MRI only yield a snapshot analysis during contrast diffusion, while CEUS allows for a continuous real-time imaging of the microcirculation that lasts several minutes, so that the whole arterial phase and the late parenchymal phase of the contrast diffusion can be analyzed continuously by real-time US scanning. Continuous real-time monitoring of contrast diffusion entails an easy detection of thrombus maximum enhancement. Moreover, continuous quantitative analyses of enhancement(wash in- wash out studies) by CEUS during contrast diffusion is nowadays available in most CEUS machines, thus giving a more sophisticated and accurate evaluation of the contrast distribution and an increased confidence in diagnosis in difficult cases. In conclusion, CEUS is avery reliable technique with a high intrinsic sensitivity for portal vein patency assessment. More expensive and sophisticated techniques(i.e., CT, MRI, PET, and PET-CT) should only be indicated in undetermined cases at CEUS.

Value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography in evaluating cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND Cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) affects the treatment and prognosis of patients. Ultrasound is a common imaging method for detecting cervical lymph nodes in PTC patients; however, it is not accurate in determining lymph node metastasis.AIM To evaluate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography in evaluating cervical lymph node metastasis in PTC.METHODS A total of 94 patients with PTC were recruited. According to pathological results,lymph nodes were divided into two groups: metastatic group(n = 50) and reactive group(n = 63). The routine ultrasound findings, contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography data were recorded and compared. Logistic regression was used to generate predictive probability distributions for the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis with different indicators. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to test the efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography based on routine ultrasound in evaluating PTC cervical lymph node metastasis.RESULTS The ratio of long diameter/short diameter(L/S) ≤ 2, irregular marginal morphology, missing lymphatic portal, peripheral or mixed blood flow distribution, peak intensity(PI), non-uniform contrast distribution and elasticity score in the metastatic group were significantly higher than those in the reactive group(P < 0.05). L/S ratio, missing lymphatic portal, PI and elasticity score had a significant influence on the occurrence of PTC cervical lymph node metastasis(P< 0.05). Furthermore, the area under the curve(AUC) for lymph node metastasis diagnosed using the combination of PI ratio, elasticity score, missing lymphatic portal and LS was 0.936, which was significantly higher than the AUC for PI ratio alone. The difference was statistically significant(P < 0.05). The fitting equation for the combined diagnosis was logit(P) =-12.341 + 1.482 × L/S ratio + 3.529 ×missing lymphatic portal + 0.392 × PI + 3.288 × elasticity score.CONCLUSION Based on the gray-scale ultrasound, the combination of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography can accurately assess PTC cervical lymph node metastasis.