Comparison between tissue harmonic imaging and liver-specific late-phase contrast-enhanced pulse-inversion imaging in the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver metastasis.

Purpose: To assess whether liver-specific late-phase contrast-enhanced pulse-inversion (CE-PI) ultrasound imaging improves the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver metastasis in comparison with non-enhanced tissue harmonic imaging (THI).

Subjects And Methods: Twenty-one patients with HCC or liver metastasis were studied using standardized ultrasound harmonic settings. Sweeps through the hepatic lobes were done by THI, followed by late-phase CE-PI after Levovist injection.