Aims: To determine whether contrast-enhanced US using perfluorobutane-containing microbubbles (SEUS) would be helpful for planning a hepatic biopsy.
Material and methods: This prospective study included 40 patients who planned to undergo hepatic biopsy for focal hepatic lesions. All patients underwent B-mode US followed by SEUS. The radiologist evaluated the number of detected lesions, presence of necrosis, conspicuity of target lesion and technical feasibility using 4-point scale. Technical failure and occurrence of change of the target were also assessed. Computer tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) images were the reference techniques.
Results: The mean number of lesions detected on CT and MR images was 6.5±8.4. In 20 (50%) of 40 patients, more focal lesions were detected on SEUS. Targeted lesion was changed in sixpatients (15%) on SEUS. Mean number of detected lesions on SEUS was significantly higher comparing with B-US (5.1±6.2 vs. 2.8±3.8, p<0.001). Conspicuity of the targeted lesion was improved in 67.5% (27 of 40) on SEUS and significantly more visualized than B-US (3.6±0.8 vs. 2.8±0.9, p<0.001). In 7 more patients the necrosis within the lesion was visualized (17.5%) using SEUS. The technical feasibility on SEUS was significantly higher than B-US (2.3±1.0 vs. 3.3±0.9, p<0.001). Technical failure was observed in only one patient (2.5%).
Conclusions: SEUS is a helpful technique for planning the hepatic biopsyin terms of detection, improving lesion conspicuity, tumor viable portion assessment and consequently higher operator confidence, compared with B-US.