Ultrasomics in liver cancer: Developing a radiomics model for differentiating intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma from hepatocellular carcinoma using contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) represent the predominant histological types of primary liver cancer, comprising over 99% of cases. Given their differing biological behaviors, prognoses, and treatment strategies, accurately differentiating between HCC and ICC is crucial for effective clinical management. Radiomics, an emerging image processing technology, can automatically extract various quantitative image features that may elude the human eye.

Liver stiffness in hepatocellular carcinoma and chronic hepatitis patients: Hepatitis B virus infection and transaminases should be considered.

Background: Liver condition is a crucial prognostic factor for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but a convenient and comprehensive method to assess liver condition is lacking. Liver stiffness (LS) measured by two-dimensional shear wave elastography may help in assessing liver fibrosis and liver condition. Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is an important risk factor for HCC progression, but LS was found to be less reliable in assessing liver fibrosis following hepatitis viral eradication.

Complementary Role of CEUS and CT/MR LI-RADS for Diagnosis of Recurrent HCC.

Purpose: We retrospectively compared the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) and contrast-enhanced computer tomography-magnetic resonance imaging (CT/MRI) for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after curative treatment.

Materials And Methods: After curative treatment with 421 ultrasound (US) detected lesions, 303 HCC patients underwent both CEUS and CT/MRI. Each lesion was assigned a Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) category according to CEUS and CT/MRI LI-RADS.

US LI-RADS in surveillance for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after curative treatment.

Objectives: To investigate the performance of US LI-RADS in surveillance for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (RHCC) after curative treatment.

Materials And Methods: This study enrolled 644 patients between January 2018 and August 2018 as a derivation cohort, and 397 patients from September 2018 to December 2018 as a validation cohort. The US surveillance after HCC curative treatment was performed.

Shear-wave elastography combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound algorithm for noninvasive characterization of focal liver lesions.

Purpose: To establish shear-wave elastography (SWE) combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) algorithm (SCCA) and improve the diagnostic performance in differentiating focal liver lesions (FLLs).

Material And Methods: We retrospectively selected patients with FLLs between January 2018 and December 2019 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. Histopathology was used as a standard criterion except for hemangiomas and focal nodular hyperplasia.

Identification of the origin of tumor in vein: comparison between CEUS LI-RADS v2017 and v2016 for patients at high risk.

Objectives: To compare the diagnostic performance of the Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) Liver Imaging Report and Data System (LI-RADS) v2016 and v2017 in identifying the origin of tumor in vein (TIV).

Methods: From April 2014 to December 2018, focal liver lesions (FLLs) accompanied by TIV formation in patients at high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were enrolled. Histologic evaluation or composite imaging reference standard were served as the reference standard.

Preoperative prognostic value of alfa-fetoprotein density in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing radiofrequency ablation.

Objectives: To examine the prognostic value of preoperative alfa-fetoprotein (AFP) density and other clinical factors in patients undergoing percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: From January 2010 to December 2018, a total of 543 patients undergoing RFA for HCC meeting the Milan criteria were included at our institution. AFP density was calculated as absolute AFP pre-ablation divided by the total volume of all HCC lesions.

Application of the CT/MRI LI-RADS Treatment Response Algorithm to Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound: A Feasibility Study.

Purpose: The contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) treatment response algorithm (TRA) is still in development. The aim of this study was to explore whether the CT/MRI LI-RADS TRA features were applicable to CEUS in evaluating the liver locoregional therapy (LRT) response.

Patients And Methods: This study was a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing ablation between July 2017 and December 2018.

Percutaneous thermal ablation of hepatic tumors: local control efficacy and risk factors for artificial ascites failure.

Objective: To investigate the risk factors affecting the technical failure of artificial ascites (AA) formation and to evaluate the local control efficacy of percutaneous thermal ablation assisted by the AA for hepatic tumors.

Methods: A total of 341 patients with 362 hepatic tumors who underwent thermal ablation assisted by AA were reviewed retrospectively. The technical success of AA, the volume of liquid, and local efficacy after ablation were assessed.

Inter-reader agreement of CEUS LI-RADS among radiologists with different levels of experience.

Objectives: To investigate the inter-reader agreement of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) of Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2017 (LI-RADS v2017) categories among radiologists with different levels of experience.

Materials And Methods: From January 2014 to December 2014, a total of 326 patients at high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent CEUS were included in this retrospective study. All lesions were classified according to LI-RADS v2017 by six radiologists with different levels of experiences: two residents, two fellows, and two specialists.

Multiple-Electrode Switching-Based Radiofrequency Ablation vs. Conventional Radiofrequency Ablation for Single Early-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma Ranging From 2 to 5 Cm.

To retrospectively compare the treatment outcome of multiple-electrode switching-based radiofrequency ablation (switching RFA) and the conventional RFA for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 122 patients with single early-stage HCC ranging from 2.1 to 5.

Thermal ablation versus hepatic resection for the treatment of liver metastases from gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a retrospective study.

The study aimed to compare effectiveness and safety of thermal ablation and hepatic resection in patients with liver metastases of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). A total of 55 patients (27 in the ablation group and 28 in the surgery group) with liver metastases were included. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were assessed with Kaplan-Meier's survival estimate curves.

Preoperative prediction of tumour deposits in rectal cancer by an artificial neural network-based US radiomics model.

Objective: To develop a machine learning-based ultrasound (US) radiomics model for predicting tumour deposits (TDs) preoperatively.

Methods: From December 2015 to December 2017, 127 patients with rectal cancer were prospectively enrolled and divided into training and validation sets. Endorectal ultrasound (ERUS) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) examinations were conducted for each patient.

Risk Factors for Bile Duct Injury After Percutaneous Thermal Ablation of Malignant Liver Tumors: A Retrospective Case-Control Study.

Background: Bile duct injury after ablation of malignant liver tumors (MLTs) was not unusual and should be avoided. However, few studies have focused on evaluating the risk factors for intrahepatic bile duct injury.

Aim: To evaluate the risk factors for intrahepatic bile duct injury after ablation of MLTs and to evaluate the minimum safe distance for ablating tumors abutting bile ducts.

Ultrasound and Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound for Evaluation of Irreversible Electroporation Ablation: In Vivo Proof of Concept in Normal Porcine Liver.

The objective of this study was to describe the performance of ultrasound (US) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) within 2 h after irreversible electroporation (IRE) ablation of porcine liver. Six IRE ablations were performed on porcine liver in vivo; ultrasound assessments were performed within 2 h after IRE ablation. On US images, the ablation zone appeared as a hypo-echoic area within 10 min after the ablation, and then the echo of the ablation zone gradually increased.

Maximum Value Measured by 2-D Shear Wave Elastography Helps in Differentiating Malignancy from Benign Focal Liver Lesions.

The goal of the work described here was to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of 2-D shear wave elastography (2-D SWE) in differentiating malignancy from benign focal liver lesions (FLLs). The maxima, minima, means and the standard deviations of 2-D SWE measurements, expressed in kilopascals (Emax, Emin, Emean, ESD), were obtained for 221 patients with 229 FLLs. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 2-D SWE.

Diagnosis of Testicular Adrenal Rest Tumors on Ultrasound: A Retrospective Study of 15 Cases Report.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the imaging features of testicular adrenal rest tumors (TARTs) on baseline ultrasound (BUS).The imaging features of 30 TART lesions pathologically or clinically confirmed in 15 patients who had undergone BUS were evaluated, and the sonographic characteristics of the lesions were analyzed.All 15 cases were bilateral and located near the testicular mediastinum.

Comparison of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computed tomography in evaluating the treatment response to transcatheter arterial chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma using modified RECIST.

Purpose: We aimed to compare contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) for evaluating the treatment response to transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials And Methods: Treatment responses of 130 patients who underwent TACE were evaluated by CEUS and CECT. We initially compared the abilities of CEUS and CECT to detect residual tumour, which were confirmed by histology or angiography.

Role of portal vein tumor thrombosis in quantitative perfusion analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The goal of our study was to evaluate the differences between quantitative parameters of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with or without portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Twenty-four patients with HCC with PVTT and 48 without PVTT underwent CEUS using sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles. Dynamic images were analyzed with quantification software.

Value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound using perflubutane microbubbles for diagnosing liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in rats.

We determined the ability of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) using perflubutane microbubbles to diagnose liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in rats using histology as the reference standard. Fibrosis was induced by oral administration of carbon tetrachloride to 32 Wistar rats. Features with baseline ultrasound (US) and enhancement level of liver and spleen with CEUS were obtained.

Long-term outcome of percutaneous ablation in very early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term outcomes of percutaneous ablation (PA) of very early-stage hepatocellulcar carcinoma (HCC) with a multimodal strategy.

Methods: Written informed consent was obtained from all patients before treatment. Percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) was performed for tumors in unfavorable locations; microwave ablation (MWA) was performed for tumors in favorable positions without a capsule; and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) was carried out in favorable tumors with a capsule.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma: differential diagnosis with contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Objective: We assessed the usefulness of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the differentiation of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: The CEUS enhancement patterns of 50 ICCs were retrospectively analysed and compared with 50 HCCs. Two readers independently reviewed the baseline ultrasound (BUS) and CEUS images and the diagnostic performances were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Differential diagnosis between benign and malignant gallbladder diseases with real-time contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

The value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in differential diagnosis between benign and malignant gallbladder diseases was investigated. Thirty-three patients with gallbladder carcinomas and 47 with benign gallbladder diseases underwent CEUS. The lesion enhancement time, enhancement extent, pattern, dynamic change of enhancement and the intactness of gallbladder wall were evaluated.

Treatment response evaluation with three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound for liver cancer after local therapies.

Objective: To investigate the potential usefulness of three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (3D-CEUS) in evaluating the treatment response for liver cancer after local therapies.

Methods: A total of 107 lesions in 95 consecutive patients with liver cancer underwent local therapies and thereafter received low acoustic power 3D-CEUS examination. The LOGIQ 9 ultrasound scanner and a volume transducer were used and the ultrasound contrast agent was SonoVue.