Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) Features of Liver Abscess
Introduction: Liver abscess is an uncommon disease. However, it is relatively common in the rural area. Contrast- Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) is a new promising technique that allows micro vessels to be observed in real time.
Purpose: To investigate contrast enhanced ultrasound features of liver abscess.
Subjects and Methods: Study population:9 patients with 13 abscesses were evaluated with CEUS (3 male, 6 female; mean age, 42.3 years; age range, 32-63 years), the mean diameter of the abscesses was 4.8cm (range, 2.0-8.5cm).7 patients were confirmed the final diagnosis of abscess by US-guided percutaneous needle biopsy, and the other 2 patients were diagnosed abscess by follow-up. 8 of 9 patients had fever, ranged:37.4-39.5 C with a mean of 38.1 C, while the other patient with fever history 20 days ago. All 9 patients had elevated white cells count, 8 patients had been treated with antibiotics or during antibiotic treatment.
Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound:With contrast harmonic imaging mode SonoVue with a bolus dose of 2.4ml was injected intravenously followed by a 5-mL saline flush. The ultrasonogists reviewed patients' clinical histories, but without knowing all other imaging findings. The CEUS diagnosis was made on the basis of enhancement patterns of the lesion and clinical features of the patients.
Results: Baseline Sonographic features of 13 abscesses on table 1 could be summarized into 4 types and CEUS features of 13 abscesses on table 2 could be summarized into 4 types also.
Conclusions: CEUS is helpful for the diagnosis of liver abscesses; Enhancement patterns of the abscess are variable. However, they are different from the most enhancement patters which were seen in the malignant tumors.