Contrast-enhanced power Doppler sonography: improved detection of characteristic flow patterns in focal liver lesions.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether intravenous injection of an ultrasound contrast agent aids in the visualization of focal liver lesions on power Doppler images.

Methods: Fifty patients with focal liver lesions were studied by B-mode and power Doppler sonography before and after intravenous injection of the contrast agent Levovist (galactose-based microbubbles; 10 ml of a concentration of 300 mg/ml). Thirty-two patients had malignant liver lesions (19 metastases, 12 hepatocellular carcinomas, 1 cholangiocellular carcinoma), while 18 had benign lesions (12 hemangiomas, 2 focal nodular hyperplasias, 4 others).

Do ultrasonic contrast agents artificially increase maximum Doppler shift? In vivo study of human common carotid arteries.

The aim of this study was to establish whether an increase of maximum Doppler shift occurs in the human common carotid artery after the administration of Levovist, an ultrasonographic echo enhancer. Twenty common carotid arteries of 10 patients were examined. Spectral Doppler waveform examinations were performed before and after administration of Levovist using an Acuson 128 XP 10 and a 7.

[Vascularization patterns in focal liver lesions: comparison of plain and signal-enhanced amplitude-modulated color duplex ultrasonography].

Purpose: Morphology of focal liver lesions was studied by power Doppler. Plain images and images after i.v.

Telemedicine in rural areas. Experience with medical desktop-conferencing via satellite.

Cooperation between physicians in hospitals in rural areas can be assisted by desktop-conferencing using a satellite link. For six weeks, medical desktop-conferencing was tested during daily clinical conferences between the Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, and the Medical Academy, Wroclaw. The communications link was provided by the German Telekom satellite system MCS, which allowed temporary connections to be established on demand by manual dialling.

[Quality criteria of digital subtraction angiography of the trunk of the body].

The presently valid quality criteria of digital subtraction angiography in the body trunk area are described. The indications for intravenous and intraarterial examinations are explained; these are closely connected with the respective demands. The problem levels are analysed and update technical and methodical solutions are offered.

[Color duplex sonography of liver transplantation. The vascular status].

The present study deals with the value of CDS in liver transplantation. Between September 1988 and October 1991 CDS of hepatic vessels was carried out in 194 liver transplants. Flow direction and flow velocity in the portal vein could be demonstrated in 97%.

Contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler US with a new transpulmonary echo contrast agent based on saccharide microparticles.

The purpose of this first patient study (phase II) was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of a new echo contrast agent at transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (US). Twenty patients were selected from a group of 242 patients undergoing conventional transcranial Doppler US who had low (n = 18) or absent (n = 2) Doppler signals from the middle cerebral artery (MCA). The extent and duration of Doppler signal increase was measured in 30 MCAs and in 14 basilar arteries following the intravenous injection of a transpulmonary galactose microparticle suspension (SH U 508 A) at three concentrations (200, 300, and 400 mg/mL).

[Catheter-induced femoral artery lesions: diagnosis with B-mode ultrasound, Doppler ultrasound and color Doppler ultrasound].

A total of 44 patients were evaluated to compare the value of B-mode sonography, Doppler sonography and colour coded Doppler sonography. All patients were studied because of suspected lesions of the femoral arteries following diagnostic and/or therapeutic cardiac catheterisation. B-mode sonography was unable to reliably differentiate between haematoma and pseudo-aneurysms, a.

[A 3-dimensional reconstructive procedure in lumbar computed tomography].

In this study, 50 patients were examined by a Siemens' "Somatom Plus"; continuous 2 mm sections between the third lumbar and first sacral vertebra were obtained. The accuracy of the 3-D reconstruction software programme was checked by measuring a polyethylene phantom of a second lumbar vertebra. Reconstruction was carried out with a threshold definition of 150 Hu.

[The Berlin Radiology Communication Project. The initial clinical experiences].

As part of a radiological communication project (RADKOM), two PACS systems of the radiological clinic in the Rudolf Virchow University Clinic in Charlottenburg and Wedding were connected via the BERKOM network of the German post office. Within the radiology departments, all CT and MRT systems were joined through a local network. The first results have shown that the PACS stations are of value for providing uniformity of diagnosis and for radiological conferences.

[A comparison of the quantified determination of the echogeneity of the liver by ultrasound and the density of the liver by CT].

A defined region of the right lobe of the liver was measured by grey scale analysis based on similar presets according to a manual input of a Region of Interest (ROI). During 20 days, the livers of healthy subjects were tested by this method in order to test the reproducibility of the results. By prospective studies, the livers of 30 patients were examined by ultrasound and CT regarding the determination of the extent of their fatty liver disease.