Kupffer-phase findings of hepatic hemangiomas in contrast-enhanced ultrasound with sonazoid

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess quantitatively the Kupffer-phase enhancement patterns of hepatic hemangiomas in contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with Sonazoid. A total of 46 patients with 46 hepatic hemangiomas (17.1 ± 6.2 mm in diameter, 34 typical type and 12 high-flow type) underwent CEUS in the Kupffer phase. The lesion-to-liver contrast ratio in the Kupffer phase was quantitatively assessed for both types of hemangioma. Most of the hepatic hemangiomas, whether or not they were the high-flow type, were iso- to hypo-echoic relative to the surrounding liver parenchyma. The contrast ratio was -5.33 ± 6.70 dB for the high-flow hemangiomas and -4.54 ± 6.28 dB for the typical hemangiomas. There was no significant difference in contrast ratio between the two types of lesions (p = 0.73). All of the hemangiomas, whether of typical or high-flow type, are iso- to hypo-echoic relative to the surrounding liver parenchyma on Kupffer-phase imaging.

Keywords: Contrast; Hemangioma; High-flow type; Kupffer phase; Liver; Sonazoid; Ultrasound.