Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography appearances of intrahepatic peripheral cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract

Objective To investigate the contrast-enhanced ultrasonography appearances characteristics of intrahepatic peripheral cholangiocarcinoma(ICC) and to improve the diagnosis level of ICC on contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. Methods Thirty cases with ICC confirmed by pathological examinations of surgeries were retrospectively analyzed for findings of ultrasonography, clinic and pathology, to explore the typical contrast-enhanced ultrasonography appearances and the correlation with pathological differentiation. Results On contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, 30 lesions showed enhancement on the arterial phase and appeared hypo-echoic enhancement on the portal phase, which displayed fast-in and fast-out enhancement pattern. During the hepatic arterial phase of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, 10 lesions showed peripheral enhancement, 10 lesions showed relatively homogeneous hyper-enhancement, 6 lesions showed heterogeneous enhancement, 2 lesions showed iso-enhancement, and 2 lesions showed hypo-enhancement. To the 30 lesions, the average initial time of enhancement was (18.81±4.66)s (12-28 s), the average time of washing-out was (36.00±12.30)s (18-60 s). There was no significant difference in time of washing-in and washing-out among different pathological differentiation groups(P>0.05). Conclusions ICC often shows fast-in and fast-out enhancement pattern on contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, and the time of washing-out is generally in late arterial phase or early portal phase, but there is no significant difference in time of washing-in and washing-out among different pathological differentiation groups. Key words: Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography; Intrahepatic peripheral cholangiocarcinoma