History of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

The 50th year of the European Federation of Societies in Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) has been celebrated 2022 publishing articles on the history of US. Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) allows to visualize blood flow and tissue perfusion. CEUS has proven to be safe without risk of nephrotoxicity.

Non-invasive splenic parameters of portal hypertension: Assessment and utility.

Background: Portal hypertension is a major complication of cirrhosis that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The present gold-standard method to risk stratify and observe cirrhosis patients with portal hypertension is hepatic venous pressure gradient measurement or esophagogastroduodenoscopy. However, these methods are invasive, carry a risk of complications and are associated with significant patient discomfort.

Comparison of liver stiffness measurements by a 2D-shear wave technique and transient elastography: results from a European prospective multi-centre study.

Objectives: To compare liver stiffness measurement (LSM) provided by Canon 2D-shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) and transient elastography (TE), the latter being the reference method.

Methods: Prospective study conducted in four European centres from 2015 to 2016 including patients with various chronic liver diseases who had LSMs with both 2D-SWE and TE on the same day. Median of 10 valid measurements (in kPa) was used for comparison using paired t test, Pearson correlation, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plot.

Radiological assessment of the breast following enhancement with Macrolane: Managing the challenges.

Macrolane VRF, a biodegradable, stabilized hyaluronic acid gel, was used for breast enhancement 2008-2012. Similar to permanent implants, the presence of Macrolane gel may interfere with interpretation of mammography. This short communication aims to provide a guide to the appearance of Macrolane on radiology examination (including mammography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging) and aid selection of the most appropriate imaging modality to facilitate breast examination in women who have undergone Macrolane breast enhancement.

Correction of Non-Linear Propagation Artifact in Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging of Carotid Arteries: Methods and in Vitro Evaluation.

Non-linear propagation of ultrasound creates artifacts in contrast-enhanced ultrasound images that significantly affect both qualitative and quantitative assessments of tissue perfusion. This article describes the development and evaluation of a new algorithm to correct for this artifact. The correction is a post-processing method that estimates and removes non-linear artifact in the contrast-specific image using the simultaneously acquired B-mode image data.

Early metacarpal bone mineral density loss using digital x-ray radiogrammetry and 3-tesla wrist MRI in established rheumatoid arthritis: a longitudinal one-year observational study.

Objectives. Early change in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterised by periarticular osteopenia. We investigated the relationship of early metacarpal digital X-ray radiogrammetry bone mineral density (DXR-BMD) change rate (RC-BMD, mg/cm(2)/month) to longitudinal changes in hand and feet radiographic and wrist MRI scores over 1 year.

A comparison of the diagnostic accuracy of MARS MRI and ultrasound of the painful metal-on-metal hip arthroplasty.

Background And Purpose: Metal artifact reduction sequence (MARS) MRI and ultrasound scanning (USS) can both be used to detect pseudotumors, abductor muscle atrophy, and tendinous pathology in patients with painful metal-on-metal (MOM) hip arthroplasty. We wanted to determine the diagnostic test characteristics of USS using MARS MRI as a reference for detection of pseudotumors and muscle atrophy. PatienTS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study to compare MARS MRI and USS findings in 19 consecutive patients with unilateral MOM hips.

Can contrast-enhanced ultrasound distinguish malignant from reactive lymph nodes in patients with head and neck cancers?

The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in differentiating benign from malignant cervical lymph nodes in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. A consecutive series of 17 patients with known head and neck malignancy scheduled for neck surgery and lymph node clearance were recruited for contrast-enhanced ultrasound evaluation. Sonographic signal intensity as a function of time, comparing features of time to peak, time to arrival and time to wash-out, was quantified.

Evaluating automated dynamic contrast enhanced wrist 3T MRI in healthy volunteers: one-year longitudinal observational study.

Rational And Objective: Dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-MRI has great potential to provide quantitative measure of inflammatory activity in rheumatoid arthritis. There is no current benchmark to establish the stability of signal in the joints of healthy subjects when imaged with DCE-MRI longitudinally, which is crucial so as to differentiate changes induced by treatment from the inherent variability of perfusion measures. The objective of this study was to test a pixel-by-pixel parametric map based approach for analysis of DCE-MRI (Dynamika) and to investigate the variability in signal characteristics over time in healthy controls using longitudinally acquired images.

The efficacy of axillary ultrasound in the detection of nodal metastasis in breast cancer.

Objective: Recent reports indicate a lack of survival benefit for axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) versus sentinel lymph node biopsy in early breast cancer. To study this issue further, we assessed the accuracy and effectiveness of ultrasound examination in detecting axillary nodal involvement in breast cancer patients with the aim of refining our current clinical pathways.

Materials And Methods: Ultrasound data were collected from breast cancer cases over 3 years.

Embolization of uterine arteriovenous malformations in patients with gestational trophoblastic tumors: a review of patients at Charing Cross Hospital, 2000-2009.

Objective: To review the indications, efficacy and follow-up for gestational trophoblastic tumor (GTT) patients treated for uterine arteriovenous vascular malformations (AVMs) and bleeding vaginal metastases with modern polyvinyl alcohol particle (PVA)-based radiological embolization.

Study Design: GTT patients undergoing embolization were identified from the Charing Cross Hospital database. The patients' records were assessed for indication, technique used, primary and overall success in controlling bleeding, complications and subsequent pregnancy outcome.

CT angiography of inferior epigastric and gluteal perforating arteries before free flap breast reconstruction.

Muscle-sparing perforator free flap breast reconstruction with the use of an inferior epigastric or gluteal perforating artery to create a vascular pedicle is increasingly popular because it obviates breast implants and results in lower donor site morbidity than breast reconstruction with myocutaneous flaps. The tissue harvesting procedure for a perforator free flap involves dissecting the subcutaneous fat of the anterior abdominal wall or the buttock to locate and visually evaluate the perforating arteries so as to decide which one is most suitable for the vascular pedicle. The vessel selected depends on multiple anatomic and surgical considerations, and the decision-making process can be exceptionally time-consuming, in part because of the wide variation that occurs in vascular anatomy.

Perihepatic lymph nodes as markers of disease response in patients with hepatitis C-related liver disease: a prospective clinical evaluation.

Aim: To assess the clinical feasibility of utilizing the presence of perihepatic lymphadenopathy, seen on ultrasound, as a marker of response to antiviral treatment in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver disease.

Methods: Eighty-five patients with HCV-related liver disease [51 men and 34 women; mean age 47 years (range 26-67)] underwent liver biopsy and baseline ultrasound scans. Twenty-two of these patients were followed up longitudinally with 6-monthly ultrasound scans, whereas they were receiving anti-HCV eradication therapy with interferon and ribavirin.

Pelvic imaging in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia.

Objective: To assess the accuracy of Doppler ultrasound (DU) compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in high-risk patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN).

Study Design: From January 2005 to October 2007, patients with proven high-risk GTN or suspicion of relapse who had both DU and MRI of the pelvis were reviewed retrospectively for tumor detection and tumor extent and vascularity.

Results: There were a total of 54 patients who had both DU and MRI performed; of these, 40 were first-time presentation and 14 had either residual disease not responding to chemotherapy or suspicion of recurrent GTN based on rising human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).

31P MR spectroscopy in assessment of response to antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus-related liver disease.

Objective: An increase in the ratio of phosphomonoester (PME) to phosphodiester (PDE) during 31P MR spectroscopy of the liver has been observed with increasing severity of hepatitis C-related liver disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of 31P MR spectroscopy as a biomarker of response to interferon and ribavirin treatment.

Subjects And Methods: Forty-seven patients with biopsy-proven hepatitis C undergoing viral eradication treatment with interferon and ribavirin underwent hepatic 31P MR spectroscopy at 1.

Hepatic vein transit time of SonoVue: a comparative study with Levovist.

Purpose: To prospectively compare transit times of Levovist and SonoVue in healthy volunteers and patients with biopsy-proved hepatitis C-related liver disease.

Materials And Methods: Institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained. Forty patients and 25 healthy volunteers were examined.

Can Doppler sonography grade the severity of hepatitis C-related liver disease?

Objective: Many authors have claimed that Doppler sonography indexes are of value in grading and assessing diffuse liver disease. However, there is much controversy regarding the reliability and reproducibility of these techniques. We performed a prospective study to evaluate whether these methods can grade disease in a well-stratified cohort of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver disease.

Evidence for spleen-specific uptake of a microbubble contrast agent: a quantitative study in healthy volunteers.

Purpose: To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of the microbubble contrast agent BR1.

Materials And Methods: Twenty healthy volunteers were injected via arm vein with a 1.2-mL bolus of BR1.

The relationship of in vivo 31P MR spectroscopy to histology in chronic hepatitis C.

Liver biopsy remains the gold standard for characterizing diffuse liver disease and is associated with significant morbidity and, rarely, mortality. Our aim was to investigate whether a noninvasive technique, in vivo phosphorus 31 ((31)P)-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), could be used to assess the severity of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver disease. Fifteen healthy controls and 48 patients with biopsy-proven HCV-related liver disease were studied prospectively.