Experiment and clinical study of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in evaluating brain injuries

Abstract

Objective To explore the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(CEUS) in brain injuries. Methods ① Models of graded brain trauma were created in brains of 10 healthy mongrel dogs after the animals were anesthetized and the cranium were removed. Conventional ultrasonography(US) and CEUS were performed to observe the characteristics of traumatic region. ② Thirteen patients with traumatic brain injuries were collected to perform intraoperative ultrasonography. The location, depth, size, internal echo and boundary of traumatic brain injuries were clearly displayed. Eight injury sites were chosen to undergo CEUS. Results ① Twelve injury sites in brains of 10 dogs were detected,and CEUS were peformed in 10 lessions, of which 1 was diagnosed with cerebral contusion, 1 with cerebral contusion and cerebral hemorrhage, 7 with intracerebral hematoma, 2 with ventricular hematoma, 1 with blood vessels in intracerebral hematoma. ② Fifteen lesions were detected by preoperative CT scan, but 18 lessions were detected by intraoperative ultrasound. During operation epidural hematomas in 4 cases were detected. After CEUS,the area of lessions was clearly revealed to be extended, the hemorrhage area was exempt from enhancement while peripheral normal cerebral tissue was homogenously enhanced. Conclusions Conventional ultrasonography could display brain injuries. In case of accurate intraoperative encephalocele, intraoperative untrasound conduces to discover delayed intracranial hematoma. Different traumatic brain injuries had their special CEUS findings. Key words: Ultrasonography ; Microbubbles; Brain injuries