A methodologic study of quantitative analysis of contrast enhanced ultrasound in liver

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effects of contrast dose and region of interest (ROI) depth on quantitative analysis of liver by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) during clinical application. Methods After bolus injection of contrast agent, the change of quantitative parameters [including echo mean(EM), rise time(RT), peak intensity(PI), mean transit time(MTT), area under the curve(AUC), time from peak to one half(TPH), wash in slope(WIS), time to peak(TTP)] of time-intensity curves were analyzed based on groups from different doses (1.0 ml and 1.6 ml) and different depth (<30 mm, 30-60 mm, and ≥60 mm). Results MTT and TPH were increased with dose increasing from 1.0 ml to 1.6 ml (P 0.05). Conclusions CEUS and its imaging process can directly influence the accuracy of the parameters from the quantitative analysis. Standardization of contrast agent with predefined dose and depth can potentially facilitate future clinical studies in liver CEUS. Key words: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound; Liver; Time-intensity curve; Quantitative analysis