A longitudinal 5-year study for the prediction of HCC, death and liver decompensation by ARFI elastography.

Aim: Numerous studies have evaluated elastography for the staging of liver fibrosis. Fewer studies were performed investigating the prognostic relevance using transient elastography (TE), although with promising results. This study was designed to evaluate the prognostic relevance of ARFI elastography.

Prognostic relevance of ARFI elastography in comparison to liver histology and the FIB-4 score.

Purpose: Liver histology has prognostic relevance and is used in surveillance and therapeutic strategies. This longitudinal study was designed to evaluate the prognostic relevance of ARFI elastography in comparison to liver histology and to the FIB-4 score in a 5-year observation interval.

Materials And Methods: Based on the hospital database, patients with an elastography examination of the liver between 2010-2012, a liver biopsy, and a follow-up of 5 years were included in the study.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound pattern of hepatocellular carcinoma in noncirrhotic liver - results from the prospective multicentre DEGUM CEUS HCC study.

Objectives: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has a high diagnostic accuracy for the noninvasive diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhosis. However, as HCC in noncirrhosis becomes an emerging clinical concern, our study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of CEUS and the CEUS algorithms CEUS LI-RADS and ESCULAP in noncirrhotic liver in a prospective multicentre real-life setting.

Methods: High-risk patients for HCC with focal liver lesions upon B-mode ultrasound were recruited prospectively in a multicentre real-life approach to undergo standardized CEUS.

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Patterns for the Non-invasive Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Prospective Multicenter Study in Histologically Proven Liver Lesions in a Real-Life Setting Demonstrating the Benefit of Extended Late Phase Observation.

The hallmark for the non-invasive diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in cirrhosis is arterial phase hyperenhancement (APHE), followed by late-onset (>60 s), mild washout. Large retrospective studies report this pattern of washout to occur in the vast majority of HCCs. However, a prospective multicenter validation of these findings is still missing.

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Algorithms (CEUS-LIRADS/ESCULAP) for the Noninvasive Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma - A Prospective Multicenter DEGUM Study.

Background:  This prospective multicenter study funded by the DEGUM assesses the diagnostic accuracy of standardized contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for the noninvasive diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in high-risk patients.

Methods:  Patients at high risk for HCC with a histologically proven focal liver lesion on B-mode ultrasound were recruited prospectively in a multicenter approach. Clinical and imaging data were entered via online entry forms.

Ultrasound-Based Attenuation Imaging for the Non-Invasive Quantification of Liver Fat - A Pilot Study on Feasibility and Inter-Observer Variability.

Attenuation imaging is a novel, ultrasound-based technique to objectively detect and quantify liver steatosis. In this study, we evaluated the performance and inter-observer variability of attenuation imaging and compared it to a known quantification method of liver fat, the hepatorenal index (HRI). Two observers measured attenuation coefficients (AC) in an attenuation phantom, 20 healthy volunteers and 27 patients scheduled for biopsy for suspected diffuse liver disease.

Clinical Characteristics of Influenza in Season 2017/2018 in a German Emergency Department: A Retrospective Analysis.

Introduction: Influenza infection is a viral disease with significant morbidity and mortality during the cold months. Clinical presentation typically includes cough, fever, and pain. Influenza disease is hardly diagnosed only on the basis of clinical symptoms due to similar clinical presentation of other diseases such as a typical cold or other flu-like diseases.

Tips and Tricks in Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) for the Characterization and Detection of Liver Malignancies.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has a high diagnostic accuracy in the assessment of focal liver lesions. Clinical context (presence of liver cirrhosis, history of other malignancy versus incidental finding) is crucial for the correct interpretation of CEUS findings. CEUS has to be preceded by structured anamnesis and clinical examination as well as accurate B-mode sonography.

Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) Elastography in Autoimmune and Cholestatic Liver Diseases.

Introduction: Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) elastography evaluates hepatic fibrosis non-invasively and has been mainly validated in viral hepatitis. Data on rare liver diseases such as autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), overlap syndrome, primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) or primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are sparse.

Material And Methods: 85 patients (including 31 AIH, 26 PBC, 16 PSC and 3 PSC-and 9 PBC-AIH-overlap syndromes) were retrospectively analysed pointing at ARFI elastography of the liver and the correlation with histologic Ishak fibrosis score (F0-6).

Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) shear wave elastography of the bowel wall in healthy volunteers and in ulcerative colitis.

Background: Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography is a non-invasive, ultrasound-based approach of evaluation of tissue elasticity. It has not yet been systematically applied to the bowel wall.

Purpose: To perform ARFI elastography of the bowel wall in healthy volunteers and patients with ulcerative colitis (UC).

Improvement of clinical management and outcome in hepatocellular carcinoma nowadays compared with historical cohorts.

Objectives: Therapeutic approaches in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) depend on tumour stage, liver function and patient comorbidities. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of tumour stage and therapeutic approach on overall survival in HCC.

Materials And Methods: Two hundred and fourteen patients with HCC diagnosed between December 2012 and May 2017 were assessed retrospectively for tumour stage [Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC)], liver function (Child-Pugh score), therapeutic approach and outcome (mean survival time).

Interobserver Agreement for Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS)-Based Standardized Algorithms for the Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in High-Risk Patients.

Objectives:  This pilot study aimed at assessing interobserver agreement with two contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) algorithms for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in high-risk patients.

Methods:  Focal liver lesions in 55 high-risk patients were assessed independently by three blinded observers with two standardized CEUS algorithms: ESCULAP (Erlanger Synopsis of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound for Liver Lesion Assessment in Patients at risk) and ACR-CEUS-LI-RADSv.2016 (American College of Radiology CEUS-Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System).

Differentiation of malignant liver tumors by software-based perfusion quantification with dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCEUS).

Unlabelled: BACKGROUNDEnhancement patterns on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) help to distinguish different liver tumors.

Objective: Assessing the diagnostic value of dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCEUS) for the discrimination of different malignant liver lesions.

Methods: 148 malignant focal liver lesions were assessed prospectively with DCEUS (hepatocellular carcinoma = HCC; cholangiocellular carcinoma = CCC; pancreatic adenocarcinoma = PCA; breast cancer = BC; colorectal cancer = CRC; melanoma = MM).