Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Liver Cancer

SUMMARY 

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a sure, noninvasive, repeatable imaging technique widely used in the characterization of benign and malignant liver lesions. The European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology guidelines suggest the typical CEUS features of liver lesions as criteria for the noninvasive diagnosis in cirrhotic and not-cirrhotic patients. The clinical application of CEUS in the liver study is summarized in this review; the contrast-enhanced patterns of the most frequent liver lesions are described (hepatocellular and cholangiocellular carcinoma, liver metastases, hemangioma, focal nodular hyperplasia, adenoma). The role of this imaging technique in the diagnostic algorithm of liver malignancy is illustrated and the CEUS application in hepatologic and oncological settings is depicted.

KEYWORDS :

• cholangiocellular carcinoma
• contrast agents
• hepatocellular carcinoma
• liver lesions
• liver metastases
• ultrasound

Financial & competing interests disclosure

L Bolondi receives consulting and speakers fees from Bayer, Bracco and Roche. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

L Bolondi receives consulting and speakers fees from Bayer, Bracco and Roche. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.