Contrastmedia enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) fistulography for secondary acquired cervical lesions. Retrospective exploration by first case series and comparative data to conventional radiological and intraoperative results.

Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) represents a well established technique and as a bedside methode offers a wide field of clinical applications. Even with intranvenous application, contrast media exams are very safe and showed hardly any toxicity and are rarely associated with local irritations. Encouraged by published protocols for fistulography for intracavatary applications in the area of proctology and gynecology, we applied the technique for symptomatic cervical lesions. The depiction of secondary cervical fistulas by CEUS fistulography showed first albeit premliminary promising results as a a beside methode. The examination lacks exposure to radiation dose and is feasibel for a selected group of patients as far as favorable access to visibity in ultraosund is provided. For our first series of patients, the CEUS fistulogram seems to correlate with the fistula extension in conventional CT or fluoroscopic imaging or folllowing intraoperative fistula exploration. According to our preliminary data, CEUS fistulography has the potential to expand the diagnostic ultrasound possibilities by extension in the first ultrasound exmination by conrast media application. It might spare additional computed tomographic or flouroscopic radiological fistulography examination. Further confirmatory studies or prospective studies are necessary.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Publication History

Article published online:
12 May 2023