Diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma by parametric imaging using sonazoid-enhanced US

Comparison of Parametric Imaging (PI) using Sonazoid-enhanced ultrasonography (US) and microflow imaging (MFI) to determine the possibility of hepatic hemangioma diagnosis using PI.

Twenty-two hepatic hemangioma nodules (mean±SD diameter: 31.6±19.1mm) undergoing Sonazoid-enhanced US between February 2008 and March 2009. After Sonazoid-enhanced US, COMMUNE ultrasonographic image analysis software was used for analysis of tumor imaging dynamics in the vascular phase using PI and MFI. In PI, 0s was set as the time contrast agent reached the tumor. Imaging within the tumor after 0s was color-coded according to time, and the images were displayed in color. In MFI, 0s was set as the time contrast agent reached the tumor. The path of microbubbles as it flowed through blood vessels was superimposed on the original B-mode images. Three trained physicians used these methods to analyze tumor imaging dynamics.

All physicians concluded all cases were hepatic hemangioma regardless of method used. However, compared to MFI, PI allowed determination of more detailed blood flow dynamics in high-flow hepatic hemangioma, where blood flow speed was faster than in normal hepatic hemangioma.

It is possible to diagnose hepatic hemangioma using PI using sonazoid-enhanced US.