Focal hepatic lesions characterisation by different sonographic techniques: a prospective analysis

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Diagnostic Ultrasound
• Hepatology

Background:

• Ultrasound is the primary diagnostic tool for liver lesions.
• Advancements in grey-scale sonography enhance liver imaging capabilities.
• New techniques include conventional sonography (CS), real-time compound sonography (RTCS), tissue harmonic sonography (THS), and tissue harmonic compound sonography (THCS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the image quality of four ultrasound techniques (CS, RTCS, THS, THCS) for focal liver lesions.
• To evaluate lesion conspicuity, artefact elimination, and overall image quality.

Main Methods:

• 100 patients with focal hepatic lesions were enrolled.
• Lesions were categorized as solid (78) or cystic (22).
• Specific parameters were assessed for each lesion type using 3-5-point grading scales.

Main Results:

• THCS demonstrated superior lesion conspicuity and artefact elimination for solid lesions.
• RTCS showed comparable results to THCS for solid lesions.
• THS provided better results for cystic lesions, with THCS showing no significant difference.
• Conventional sonography (CS) had the lowest diagnostic value.

Conclusions:

• Tissue harmonic compound sonography (THCS) is the preferred technique for evaluating focal hepatic lesions.
• Combining compound and harmonic sonography offers optimal diagnostic performance.