The value of intra-venous combined with intra-cavitary contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the classification of hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract

Objective To explore the value of intra-venous contrast enhanced ultrasound (Ⅳ-CEUS) combined with intra-cavitary CEUS (IC-CEUS) in the classification of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.Methods Thirty patients who were diagnosed as hilar cholangiocarcinomas by contrast-enhanced computed tomography and contrast-enhanced computed magnetic resonance imaging were enrolled in this study.All of them underwent conventional ultrasound,Ⅳ-CEUS and IC-CEUS.According to Bismuth-Corlette classification,the accuracies of classification were compared among conventional ultrasound,Ⅳ-CEUS,IC-CEUS and Ⅳ-CEUS combined with IC-CEUS.Results The classification accuracies of conventional ultrasound,Ⅳ-CEUS,IC-CEUS and Ⅳ-CEUS combined with IC-CEUS were 73.3 ％ (22/30),90.0 ％ (27/30),86.7％ (26/30) and 96.7％ (29/30),respectively.Ⅳ-CEUS combined with IC-CEUS was superior to conventional ultrasound (P =0.011).There were no significant differences when conventional ultrasound compared with Ⅳ-CEUS or IC-CEUS alone (P =0.095 and 0.197).Conclusions Ⅳ-CEUS combined with IC-CEUS can evaluate the intra biliary and extra-biliary changes of hilar cholangiocarcinoma roundly.The classification accuracy of hilar cholangiocarcinom will be improved using Ⅳ-CEUS combined with IC-CEUS. Key words: Ultrasonography ; Microbubbles ; Bile duct neoplasms