The value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in percutaneous biopsy of retroperitoneal masses.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic yield of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)-guided biopsy of retroperitoneal masses (RMs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2006 and 2023, 87 patients presented at our US center for biopsy of an RM. In all biopsies, CEUS was performed prior to the intervention. The technical success rate of biopsy, the presence of diagnostic tissue in solid tumor biopsy samples, the accuracy of the biopsy and the occurrence of post-interventional complications were evaluated. RESULTS: A US-guided biopsy could be conducted in 84/87 cases (96.6%). In 3/87 cases (3.4%), US-guided biopsy was impossible because the planned needle path was obstructed by vital structures. Of 84 lesions, 80 (95.2%) were solid lesions, and 4 (4.8%) were lesions containing fluid. In all solid tumors, 80/80 (100%), diagnostic vital tissue was successfully obtained. CEUS-guided biopsy showed a sensitivity of 93.2%, a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100%, a negative predictive value of 72.2%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 94.2% for the differentiation between malignant and benign RMs. In one of the 84 cases (1.2%), there was a complication of postinterventional abdominal pain. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous CEUS-guided biopsy is a safe procedure with a high diagnostic yield and a low complication rate.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound of the liver: Vascular pathologies and interventions. / Kontrastmittelunterstützte Sonografie der Leber: vaskuläre Pathologien und Interventionen.

Over the past two decades, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been established as a method complementary to B-mode ultrasound and color Doppler sonography for diagnosing vascular liver pathologies and interventions.The objective of this review is to elucidate the application of CEUS in diagnosing vascular pathologies and interventional procedures.Considering the limitations of ultrasound, CEUS presents a similar alternative to other imaging modalities, such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, for evaluating vascular pathologies, guiding interventions, identifying complications, and assessing outcomes post intervention. Due to its widespread availability and the absence of radiation exposure, CEUS should be employed as a primary modality. · CEUS plays an important role in the detection of vascular liver pathologies.. · CEUS is helpful in characterizing vascular pathologies.. · CEUS is helpful in guiding interventions and identifying complications..

Prevention of life-threatening bleeding complication from splenic venous ectasia by B-mode-, color Doppler- and contrast-enhanced ultrasound in a patient with ALL.

Aim of the study: Spontaneous splenic rupture is a serious complication of pathologically altered spleen tissue, associated with a high mortality rate. Case description: We describe a spontaneous splenic rupture in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia undergoing chemotherapy. Ultrasound revealed splenomegaly, and diffuse splenic acute lymphoblastic leukemia-infiltration was suspected. In addition, only color Doppler sonography and contrast-enhanced ultrasound diagnosed splenic vascular ectasias with a venous-flow-profile. During therapy, short-term sonographic follow-up examinations were able to reveal an increase in the size of venous ectasias and the associated increased risk of spontaneous splenic rupture. Based on these sonographic findings, immediate surgical splenectomy was performed in the spontaneous splenic rupture case and the patient survived. Conclusions: Ultrasound is an important diagnostic method in patients with newly diagnosed malignant hematological diseases to detect disease-related splenic pathologies. Short-term follow-up examinations of splenic vascular pathologies can detect size progression and a potential risk of spontaneous splenic rupture with life-threatening bleeding.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound of the liver: basics and interpretation of common focal lesions. / Kontrastmittelunterstützte Sonografie der Leber: Grundlagen und Interpretation häufiger fokaler Läsionen.

Over the past 20 years, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has become established as a procedure that is complementary to B-mode ultrasound and color Doppler sonography.The aim of this review is to provide the fundamental knowledge required for examining the liver with CEUS. Additionally, the characteristic CEUS patterns of frequent focal liver lesions are described.Considering the limitations of ultrasound, CEUS offers an equivalent alternative to other imaging modalities, such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, for evaluating focal liver lesions. It should be utilized as a primary modality due to its lack of radiation exposure and rapid availability. KEY POINTS:: · CEUS plays an important role particularly in the detection and evaluation of incidentally detected liver lesions.. · Considering the limitations of ultrasound, CEUS offers an equivalent alternative to other imaging modalities, such as CT and MRI, for evaluating focal liver lesions.. CITATION FORMAT: · Safai Zadeh E, Prosch H, Ba-Ssalamah A et al. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound of the liver: basics and interpretation of common focal lesions. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2024; DOI: 10.1055/a-2219-4726.

Comments on and illustrations of the WFUMB CEUS liver guidelines: Rare malignant neuroendocrine and predominant epithelioid liver lesions.

The diagnosis or rare, non-hematologic malignant lesions of the liver may be a challenge owing to the rarity of the disease, and is usually made by histological confirmation. Ultrasound with color Doppler and contrast-enhanced, if required, taking into account the clinical background of the patient, may help to focus the differential diagnosis. In this review, we describe the pathological and ultrasound features of rare malignant neuroendocrine and predominantly epithelioid liver lesions including primary neuroendocrine tumor of the liver, Invasive mucinous cystic neoplasm of the liver, and also hepatoblastoma.

Lung Ultrasound and Pleural Artifacts: A Pictorial Review.

Lung ultrasound is a well-established diagnostic approach used in detecting pathological changes near the pleura of the lung. At the acoustic boundary of the lung surface, it is necessary to differentiate between the primary visualization of pleural parenchymal pathologies and the appearance of secondary artifacts when sound waves enter the lung or are reflected at the visceral pleura. The aims of this pictorial essay are to demonstrate the sonographic patterns of various pleural interface artifacts and to illustrate the limitations and pitfalls of the use of ultrasound findings in diagnosing any underlying pathology.

Sonography of the pleura. / Sonografie der Pleura.

The CME review presented here is intended to explain the significance of pleural sonography to the interested reader and to provide information on its application. At the beginning of sonography in the 80 s of the 20th centuries, with the possible resolution of the devices at that time, the pleura could only be perceived as a white line. Due to the high impedance differences, the pleura can be delineated particularly well. With the increasing high-resolution devices of more than 10 MHz, even a normal pleura with a thickness of 0.2 mm can be assessed. This article explains the special features of the examination technique with knowledge of the pre-test probability and describes the indications for pleural sonography. Pleural sonography has a high value in emergency and intensive care medicine, preclinical, outpatient and inpatient, in the general practitioner as well as in the specialist practice of pneumologists. The special features in childhood (pediatrics) as well as in geriatrics are presented. The recognition of a pneumothorax even in difficult situations as well as the assessment of pleural effusion are explained. With the high-resolution technology, both the pleura itself and small subpleural consolidations can be assessed and used diagnostically. Both the direct and indirect sonographic signs and accompanying symptoms are described, and the concrete clinical significance of sonography is presented. The significance and criteria of conventional brightness-encoded B-scan, colour Doppler sonography (CDS) with or without spectral analysis of the Doppler signal (SDS) and contrast medium ultrasound (CEUS) are outlined. Elastography and ultrasound-guided interventions are also mentioned. A related further paper deals with the diseases of the lung parenchyma and another paper with the diseases of the thoracic wall, diaphragm and mediastinum.

Comments and illustrations of the WFUMB CEUS liver guidelines: Rare benign focal liver lesion, part I.

Improved detection and characterization of common focal liver lesions (FLL) are the main topics of the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) guidelines on the use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). On stateof-the-art CEUS imaging, to create a library of rare FLL, especially concerning their atypical imaging characteristics, might be helpful for improving clinical diagnostic efficiency. In this review, we aim to summarize the ultrasound and CEUS features of rare benign FLL. Currently there are limited reports and images published.

Prospective Assessment of Treatment-Induced Liver Injury as a Cause of Diffuse Pathologic Hepatic Enhancement in Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound.

OBJECTIVE: A hypo-enhancement of the liver in contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), pathologic one-minute hepatic enhancement (pOMHE), was recently observed in 70% of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients with a high-risk profile for veno-occlusive disease (VOD). Whether pOMHE was a pre-clinical sign of VOD or an unspecific feature of liver damage secondary to intensive chemotherapy is unclear. METHODS: To investigate this, we studied CEUS patterns in patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy prior to autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) or intensive induction therapy (IT) for the treatment of acute leukemia. From April 2020 to May 2021, patients undergoing auto-HSCT (n = 20) or acute leukemia patients prior to IT (n = 20) were included. All patients underwent a B-mode ultrasound and CEUS of the liver and spleen before treatment (d0) and on day 10 (d10) after therapy start. The one-minute hepatic enhancement was quantified. An optical density of liver enhancement less than 90% compared with the spleen was considered pathologic (pOMHE). Clinical and laboratory parameters used to assess a drug-induced liver injury (DILI) were documented. RESULTS: The OMHE was normal (d0 and d10) in 36 (90%) patients. After IT, 2 of 20 patients had a pOMHE. A DILI grade IV was diagnosed in one case and hyperfibrinolysis in the second case. In 2 of 20 (5%) auto-HSCT patients a pOMHE was observed at d10 without clinical symptoms. CONCLUSION: Chemotherapy-induced effects are not the cause of a pathologic liver enhancement. In contrast, severe DILI or hyperfibrinolysis can be associated with pOMHE.

Comments on and illustrations of the WFUMB CEUS liver guidelines: Rare malignant mesenchymal liver lesions.

The diagnosis or rare mesenchymal malignant lesions of the liver may be a challenge owing to the rarity of the disease and is usually made by histological confirmation. An ultrasound examination with, if required, color Doppler sonography and contrast-enhanced ultrasound, taking into account the clinical background of the patient, may help to focus the differential diagnosis. In this review, we describe the pathological and ultrasound features of several rare mesenchymal malignant liver lesions which include undifferentiated sarcoma of the liver, leiomyosarcoma, angiosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, liposarcoma, and epithelioid hemangioendothelioma.

Comments and illustrations of the WFUMB CEUS liver guidelines: Rare malignant hematological liver lesions.

Diagnosing rare hematological malignancies in the liver is often challenging owing to their infrequency, and confirmation generally necessitates histological examination. Due to the rarity of these lesions, there are limited data concerning their appearance on ultrasound and, specifically, contrast-enhanced ultrasound. In this review, we describe the pathological and ultrasound features of several hematological malignant liver lesions, including lymphoma of the liver and chloroma. Furthermore, two specific forms of liver lymphoma are described: mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma andplasmacytoma of the liver.

[Multimodal ultrasound techniques for the differential diagnosis of splenic lesions - A diagnostic challenge]. / Multimodale Ultraschalltechniken zur Differenzialdiagnose von Milzherden ­ eine diagnostische Herausforderung.

BACKGROUND: Splenic tumors are rare and can pose a differential diagnostic challenge, especially as an incidental imaging finding. Due to a lack of large scale biopsy studies the available literature is limited with respect to clear imaging criteria for dignity. OBJECTIVE: The present work is intended to show the chances of a targeted elicitation of the medical history as well as the possibilities and limitations of multimodal sonography in order to achieve the correct diagnosis of a splenic lesion using simple and gentle methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Selective literature search and clinical case studies. RESULTS: In the differential diagnostics of focal splenic lesions, information about pre-existing hemato-oncological or inflammatory rheumatological diseases is essential in order to correctly classify incidental findings in particular. In addition to B­mode ultrasound (B-US) and color-coded Doppler ultrasound (CD-US), contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in particular provides crucial differential diagnostic information. While hyperechoic foci in B­US or arterially hypervascularized splenic foci in CD-US/CEUS are usually benign, hypoechoic and arterially hypoperfused foci in CD-US/CEUS must be further clarified. Although the ultrasound-guided biopsy of the spleen has a higher risk of bleeding than a liver biopsy, it is still the gentlest and most effective method for achieving the histological clarification of splenic lesions when the indications are correct. CONCLUSION: Through the combination of the medical history and multimodal ultrasound methods, if necessary supplemented by an ultrasound-guided biopsy, focal splenic lesions can be successfully classified in most cases with a direct impact on further clinical procedures.

Comments and illustrations of the WFUMB CEUS liver guidelines: Cystic fibrosis associated liver disease.

In this series of articles with comments and illustrations on the World Federation for Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) guidelines on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) the topics of very rare focal liver lesions (FLL) are discussed. Improving the detection and characterization of the most common FLL are the main topics of these guidelines. The focus of this review is on the many manifestations of cystic fibrosis-related liver disease (CFLD). These include focal biliary fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, vascular manifestations with nodular regenerative hyperplasia and portal hypertension with or without cirrhosis. This article describes the diverse changes of liver involvement in cystic fibrosis and their appearance on ultrasound, duplex sonography, and contrast enhanced ultrasonography. This knowledge and the imaging should help to recognize liver manifestations in time and enable a correct interpretation of ultrasound images in CF in the corresponding clinical situation.

Comments and illustrations of the WFUMB CEUS liver guidelines: Peliosis hepatis and porphyria.

In this series of articles on comments and illustrations of the World Federation for Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) guidelines on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), the topics on very rare focal liver lesions (FLL) are discussed. This article describes the diverse changes of focal liver lesions in peliosis hepatis and the typical changes in porphyria. Although the focus is on the appearance on ultrasound and CEUS, the clinical context is always considered. While peliosis may be a surprising finding on puncture, lesions in porphyria cutanea tarda may be typical visual diagnoses that obviate the need for biopsy. If only you knew. This article aims to sharpen the clinician's eye. It provides knowledge of the clinical presentation and US and CEUS imaging of peliosis hepatis and porphyria.

Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) Elastography of Focal Splenic Lesions: Feasibility and Diagnostic Potential.

PURPOSE: Nontraumatic focal splenic lesions (FSL) are rare, and the need for tissue diagnosis must be weighed against the very high risk of bleeding after a splenic biopsy. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility and diagnostic potential of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography as a noninvasive method for different benign and malignant FSLs. No human studies on the elastographic characteristics of FSL exist. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 34 patients with FSLs, who underwent abdominal B-mode ultrasound (B-US), contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and standardized ARFI examinations between October 2021 and December 2022 at our university hospital. The inclusion criteria were: (i) FSL size ≥ 1 cm; (ii) 10 valid ARFI measurements of the FSL, as well as of the normal splenic parenchyma (NSP) as an in vivo reference; and (iii) diagnostic confirmation of FSL etiology based on histological examination (8/34; 23.5%) or clinical evaluation, which included a clinical and sonographic follow-up (FU), CEUS morphology, and/or morphology on cross-sectional imaging (26/34; 76.5%). CEUS was performed on all patients and the FSLs were classified according to the current guidelines; cross-sectional imaging was available for 29/34 (85.3%). The mean FU duration was 25.8 ± 30.5 months. The mean ARFI velocity (MAV) of the FSL (MAVL), the NSP (MAVP), and the ratio of the MAVL to the MAVP (MAVL/P) were calculated and compared. RESULTS: Of the 34 FSLs, 13 (38.2%) were malignant (mFSL) and 21 (61.8%) were benign (bFSL). The MAVL of all 34 FSLs (2.74 ± 0.71 m/s) was lower than the MAVP (3.20 ± 0.59 m/s), p = 0.009, with a mean MAVL/P ratio of 0.90 ± 0.34. No significant differences in the MAVL were observed between the mFSL (2.66 ± 0.67 m/s) and bFSL (2.79 ± 0.75 m/s). There were also no significant differences between the MAVP in patients with mFSL (3.24 ± 0.68 m/s) as compared to that in the patients with bFSL (3.18 ± 0.55 m/s). Likewise, the MAV L/P ratio did not differ between the mFSL (0.90 ± 0.41 m/s) and bFSL (0.90 ± 0.30 m/s) groups. CONCLUSION: ARFI elastography is feasible in evaluating the stiffness of FSLs. The lesions' stiffness was lower than that of the NSP, regardless of the FSL etiology. However, differentiation between benign and malignant FSL with the help of this elastographic method does not appear possible. Larger prospective studies are needed to validate these findings.

B-Mode Ultrasound and Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound for the Detection of Splenic Involvement in Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Retrospective Analysis of 112 Patients.

PURPOSE: To assess splenic involvement using B-mode ultrasound (US) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) compared with standard imaging with contrast-enhanced computerized tomography (CT) / 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (PET-CT) in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Imaging data from 112 patients from 12/2003 to 10/2022 with histologically confirmed Hodgkin lymphoma during staging or relapse were analyzed for splenic lymphoma involvement. In all patients, standard imaging (CT/PET-CT), along with B-mode US and CEUS examinations, was performed. Evidence of focal splenic lesions (FSLs) found by imaging procedures was suggestive of splenic involvement. Follow-up imaging was performed in each patient after treatment, and treatment response indicated definitive splenic involvement. RESULTS: 40 patients (35.7%) were identified by imaging modalities as having splenic involvement, which was confirmed by response during follow-up. Standard CT/PET-CT imaging detected splenic involvement in 36/112 patients (32.1%). FSLs were detected with B-mode US in 38 patients (33.9%) and CEUS in 36 patients (32.1%). The sensitivity of standard imaging, B-mode US, and CEUS was 90%, 95%, and 90%, respectively. CONCLUSION: B-mode US examination is a diagnostic method used in addition to standard imaging for the detection of splenic involvement in Hodgkin lymphoma. CEUS does not provide additional benefit compared to B-mode US and the standard reference procedure.

Comments and illustrations of the WFUMB CEUS liver guidelines: Rare focal liver lesions - non-infectious, non-neoplastic.

In this series of papers on comments and illustrations of the World Federation for Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) guidelines on contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) the topics of non-infectious and non-neoplastic focal liver lesions (FLL) are discussed. Improved detection and characterization of common FLL are the main topics of these guidelines but detailed and illustrating information is missing. The focus in this paper is on non-infectious and non-neoplastic FLL and their appearance on B-mode, Doppler ultrasound and CEUS features. Knowledge of these data should help to raise awareness of these rarer findings, to think of these clinical pictures in the corresponding clinical situation, to interpret the ultrasound images correctly and thus to initiate the appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic steps in time.

Comments and illustrations of the WFUMB CEUS liver guidelines: Rare vascular pathology, part II.

In this second part of the topic the hepatic pseudoaneurysm, hepatic infarction, and pylephlebitis are discussed as acute and potentially life-threatening hepatic vascular diseases. The focus is on their appearance on B-mode ultrasonography, duplex ultrasonography, and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. Zahn's pseudo infarction is an important differential diagnosis to wedge-shaped hepatic infarction in this context. Knowledge of the data should help raise awareness of these rare findings, to come up with relevant differential diagnoses in the corresponding clinical situation, to interpret the ultrasound images correctly and thus to initiate the appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic steps in time.

B-mode ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound for evaluation of pneumonia: A pictorial essay.

Due to their often peripheral pleural-based location, pneumonias can be visualised by B-mode ultrasound. Therefore, sonography can be used as an alternative imaging modality to chest X-ray in suspected cases of pneumonia. Depending on the clinical background of the patient, and various underlying pathological mechanisms, a heterogeneous pattern of pneumonia is seen in both B-mode lung ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Here, we describe the spectrum of sonographic manifestations of pneumonic/inflammatory consolidation on B-mode lung ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Ultrasound of the lung. / Lungensonografie.

The CME review is intended to explain and discuss the clinical value of lung ultrasound but also to enable a pragmatically oriented approach by analyzing the clinical aspect. This includes knowledge of the pre-test probability, the acuteness of the disease, the current clinical situation, detection and/or characterization, initial diagnosis or follow up assessment and the peculiarities of exclusion diagnosis. Diseases of the pleura and lungs are described using these criteria with their direct and indirect sonographic signs and the specific clinical significance of ultrasound findings. The importance and criteria of conventional B-mode, color Doppler ultrasound with or without spectral analysis of the Doppler signal and contrast-enhanced ultrasound are discussed as well.