Diagnostic accuracy and interobserver agreement of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the evaluation of residual lesions after treatment for malignant lymphoma and testicular cancer: a retrospective pilot study in 52 patients^*

Abstract

Value of contrast-enhanced-ultrasound (CEUS) in the evaluation of residual lesions (RL) after therapy in patients with malignant lymphomas (ML) and testicular cancer (TC) with regard to tumor activity. From May 2004-October 2010, in n = 52 patients with ML (n = 34) or TC (n = 18) and RL, B-mode-imaging and CEUS of the RL was performed. In CEUS, differentiation was made between high-enhancement (HE), low-(LE) or no-enhancement (NE) of the RL after therapy. Data were retrospectively evaluated. A positive test result (HE) was found in n = 13 (25%); a negative test result (LE/NE) in n = 39 (75%) patients. Sensitivity was 72.7%, specificity 87.8%, positive likelihood-ratio 5.96, negative likelihood-ratio 0.31. In the subgroup of ML a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 86.2% was reached. Active residual disease in ML and TC is associated with a marked enhancement, so CEUS might be helpful in the evaluation of RL, especially to exclude residual disease.

Keywords:

• Lymphoma
• CEUS
• residual lesions
• testicular cancer

Potential conflict of interest

Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10428194.2018.1439170.

Additional information

Funding

Bracco Imaging supported workshops of contrast enhanced ultrasound at the University Hospital in Marburg. C. Görg received funding from Bracco Imaging just for the workshops. The workshops serve just for education of colleagues.