Journal of Hepatology and Gastrointestinal disorders
Open Access

Abstract

Current Role of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Serra C, Righi S, Molo CD and Felicani C

The routine use of microbubble ultrasound contrast agents for studies of the liver has overcome several limitations of conventional B-mode and Doppler ultrasound techniques. Contrast-enhanced patterns of liver lesions can be studied during all vascular phases (arterial, portal venous, late phases), as in contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Furthermore, the use of contrastenhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to characterize focal lesions in cirrhosis has recently been recommended in the clinical practice guidelines issued by the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB). CEUS is a well-known, non-invasive technique that can be used to diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and can be performed in real time and under complete control of the ultrasound operator.

In this review article, we summarize the basic concepts and techniques of CEUS, focusing on hepatic applications for the diagnosis of HCC. We also report the main guidelines regarding CEUS in the diagnosis of HCC, which have recently questioned its front-line role in clinical practice.