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Updated: Jul 18, 2026
Novel In Vivo Micro-Computed Tomography Imaging Techniques for Assessing the Progression of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Published on: March 24, 2023
Microbubble disappearance-time is the appropriate timing for liver-specific imaging after injection of Levovist
Hitoshi Maruyama1, Shoichi Matsutani, Hidehiro Okugawa
1Department of Medicine and Clinical Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. maru-cib@umin.ac.jp
Abstract:
Contrast enhancement in the portal vein was repeatedly observed at 1 min intervals with wide-band Doppler ultrasonography in 152 consecutive patients (132 with liver cirrhosis and HCC, 20 controls), 5 min after the injection of Levovist. The duration time of contrast enhancement in the portal vein (microbubble disappearance-time; MD-T) was measured in all patients and contrast-enhanced appearances were compared between the 5 min phase and MD-T phase in 68 HCC nodules. MD-T in patients with liver cirrhosis (572.4 +/- 117.9 s) was significantly longer than in controls (481.6 +/- 89.3 s, p < 0.05). MD-T was prolonged in patients with Child B and C compared with Child A (p < 0.05). The contrast-enhanced appearances between the two phases were different in 30 of 68 HCC nodules (44.1%), showing positive enhancement in the 5 min phase and negative enhancement in the MD-T phase. The proposed MD-T may become an essential factor for the evaluation of liver-specific sonograms.
Insights
This study introduces microbubble disappearance-time (MD-T) using Doppler ultrasonography to evaluate liver cirrhosis and HCC. MD-T offers valuable insights into liver-specific sonograms.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Hepatology
- Diagnostic Ultrasound
Background:
- Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) is crucial for diagnosing liver diseases.
- Assessing the duration of contrast enhancement provides additional diagnostic information.
- Wide-band Doppler ultrasonography with Levovist offers a method to evaluate portal vein enhancement dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of microbubble disappearance-time (MD-T) in assessing liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
- To compare contrast-enhanced appearances at a fixed time point (5 min) versus MD-T in HCC nodules.
- To investigate the correlation between MD-T and liver function (Child-Pugh classification).
Main Methods:
- 152 patients (132 with liver cirrhosis and HCC, 20 controls) underwent Doppler ultrasonography after Levovist injection.
- Portal vein contrast enhancement duration (MD-T) was measured.
- Contrast-enhanced appearances were compared between the 5-min phase and MD-T phase in 68 HCC nodules.
Main Results:
- MD-T was significantly longer in liver cirrhosis patients (572.4 ± 117.9 s) compared to controls (481.6 ± 89.3 s).
- MD-T was prolonged in Child B and C patients versus Child A patients.
- Contrast enhancement patterns differed between the 5-min and MD-T phases in 44.1% of HCC nodules.
Conclusions:
- Microbubble disappearance-time (MD-T) is a significant indicator in differentiating liver cirrhosis from controls.
- MD-T duration correlates with liver dysfunction severity.
- Comparing 5-min and MD-T phases can reveal distinct enhancement patterns in HCC nodules, aiding diagnosis.
