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Ultrasound Int Open 2016; 02(04): E129-E135
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-120272
Original Article
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound in CT-undetermined Focal Liver Lesions

S. W. Sandrose
1   Health and Technology, Metropolitan University College, Copenhagen N, Denmark
,
S. Karstrup
2   Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Roskilde Sygehus, Roskilde, Denmark
,
O. Gerke
3   Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Centre of Health Economics Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
,
S. Rafaelsen
4   Department of Radiology, Vejle Hospital, University of Southern Denmark, Vejle, Denmark
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 10 March 2016

accepted 20 October 2016

Publication Date:
06 March 2017 (online)

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Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the diagnostic accuracy of CEUS in the diagnosis of focal liver lesions, which were undetermined at CT scan.

Materials and Methods: From January 2010 to December 2010, patients with CT-undetermined focal liver lesions were included in this study. A total of 78 patients were evaluated: 41 men and 37 women, mean age 61.8 years; age range 30–91 years. All patients were examined with GE LOGIQ 9E ultrasound scanners with contrast-specific software, and SonoVue intravenous bolus. The standard of reference was composite consisting of: percutaneous biopsy, surgical resection, PET/CT and clinical follow-up.

Results: The 78 included patients had 163 undetermined focal liver lesions, mean size 1.1 cm, range 0.1–5.3 cm. There were 18 malignant and 145 benign liver lesions, as defined by the standard of reference. In differentiating between benign vs. malignant CEUS demonstrated sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy of 94.4% (95% CI: 56.3–99.5%), 99.3% (95% CI: 94.9 –99.9%), 94.4% (95% CI: 56.3–99.5%), 99.3% (95% CI: 94.9–99.9%) and 98.7% (95% CI: 94.9–99.7%), respectively. If the CEUS-inconclusive results were assumed to indicate malignancy, then sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy would be 95.8% (95% CI: 66.4–99.6%), 98.6% (95% CI: 94.4–99.7%), 92.0% (95CI: 65.1–98.6%), 99.3% (95% CI: 95.0–99.9%), 98.2% (95% CI: 94.4–99.5%).

Conclusion: The results of this study showed a high diagnostic accuracy for CEUS in undetermined focal liver lesions found by CT. Due to a high diagnostic accuracy of CEUS in this study, it was cautiously concluded that CEUS is useful in differentiating between malignant and benign focal liver lesions in clinical practice.

Key words

CEUS - CT - sensitivity - specificity - ultrasound