Contrast-enhanced ultrasound-guided microwave ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma inconspicuous on conventional ultrasound

Figures & data

Table 1.  Clinical characteristics of patients included (n = 107)

Characteristic	Data
Patient
Gender (M/F)	93/14
Age (years)*	58.9 ± 11.0 (36–87)
Child-Pugh class
A	102
B	5
Hepatitis
HBsAg	97
HCVAb	8
(-)	2
AFP > 200 ng/ml	52
Tumour
Number of tumours	107
Mean size (cm)*	1.95 ± 0.85 (0.8–4.4)
Location (segment)
S1	2
S2	6
S3	3
S4	10
S5	25
S6	25
S7	22
S8	14

AFP, alpha-fetoprotein. Numbers in parentheses are ranges.

Figure 1. Images in a 64-year-old man who underwent CEUS guidance MW ablation of HCC in segment V of the liver. (A) Conventional US could not detect the tumour. (B) The CEUS arterial phase image shows a 2.2 × 1.4 cm tumour in the right hepatic lobe (arrows). (C) MW antenna was inserted along the guideline under CEUS guidance (arrows). (D) Arterial phase of CEUS obtained 3 months after MW ablation shows complete necrosis of the tumour (arrows).

Figure 2. Images in a 52-year-old male with a 1.8 × 1.5 cm local recurrence of HCC after MW ablation in segment VII of the liver. (A) Contrast-enhanced MRI shows a local recurrence (arrows) in the right hepatic lobe. (B) Conventional US could not detect the tumour. (C) CEUS shows arterial enhancement adjacent to the ablation zone indicative of local recurrence (arrows). (D) MW antenna was inserted along the guideline under CEUS guidance (arrows). (E) Arterial phase of contrast-enhanced MRI obtained 3 months after MW ablation shows complete necrosis of the recurrence (arrows).