American Journal of Roentgenology, Vol 154, 509-514, Copyright © 1990 by American Roentgen Ray Society

ARTICLES

Color Doppler flow imaging of liver tumors

S Tanaka, T Kitamura, M Fujita, K Nakanishi and S Okuda
Center for Adult Diseases, Osaka, Japan.

A differential diagnosis of liver tumors was attempted on the basis of the pattern of blood flow within and around tumors on color Doppler flow images. The study comprised 35 patients with liver mass lesions: 20 patients had hepatocellular carcinoma, six had hemangiomas, four had metastatic liver cancers, one had cholangiocellular carcinoma, one had focal fatty liver, and three had liver cysts. A basket pattern (a fine blood-flow network surrounding the tumor nodule) was observed in 15 (75%) of the 20 hepatocellular carcinomas. An image of vessels within the tumor (blood flow that runs into and branches within the tumor) was observed in 13 (65%) of the 20 hepatocellular carcinomas. These two findings were observed only in hepatocellular carcinomas; even when the tumor was smaller than 2 cm in diameter, these findings were observed frequently. In the patients with multiple hepatic metastases, a "detour" pattern (a dilated portal vein meandering around the tumor nodules) was observed. In three of the six hemangiomas, a "spot" pattern (color-stained dots or patches in the central region of the tumor) was seen. Our experience suggests that hepatocellular carcinomas have a characteristic appearance on color Doppler flow images.
CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. K. Kim, H.-J. Jang, P. N. Burns, J. Murphy-Lavallee, and S. R. Wilson Focal Nodular Hyperplasia and Hepatic Adenoma: Differentiation with Low-Mechanical-Index Contrast-Enhanced Sonography Am. J. Roentgenol., January 1, 2008; 190(1): 58 - 66. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. H. Kim, J. M. Lee, J. Y. Lee, J. K. Han, S. K. An, C. J. Han, K. H. Lee, S. S. Hwang, and B. I. Choi Value of Contrast-Enhanced Sonography for the Characterization of Focal Hepatic Lesions in Patients with Diffuse Liver Disease: Receiver Operating Characteristic Analysis Am. J. Roentgenol., April 1, 2005; 184(4): 1077 - 1084. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Celik, H. Ozdemir, C. Yucel, S. Gultekin, S. O. Oktar, and M. Arac Characterization of Hyperechoic Focal Liver Lesions: Quantitative Evaluation With Pulse Inversion Harmonic Imaging in the Late Phase of Levovist J. Ultrasound Med., January 1, 2005; 24(1): 39 - 47. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Ohto, H. Kato, H. Tsujii, H. Maruyama, S. Matsutani, and H. Yamagata Vascular Flow Patterns of Hepatic Tumors in Contrast-Enhanced 3-Dimensional Fusion Ultrasonography Using Plane Shift and Opacity Control Modes J. Ultrasound Med., January 1, 2005; 24(1): 49 - 57. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. L. Wen, M. Kudo, R. Q. Zheng, H. Ding, P. Zhou, Y. Minami, H. Chung, M. Kitano, T. Kawasaki, and K. Maekawa Characterization of Hepatic Tumors: Value of Contrast-Enhanced Coded Phase-Inversion Harmonic Angio Am. J. Roentgenol., April 1, 2004; 182(4): 1019 - 1026. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D Cosgrove Angiogenesis imaging - ultrasound Br. J. Radiol., December 1, 2003; 76(suppl_1): S43 - S49. [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Isozaki, K. Numata, T. Kiba, K. Hara, M. Morimoto, T. Sakaguchi, H. Sekihara, T. Kubota, H. Shimada, T. Morizane, et al. Differential Diagnosis of Hepatic Tumors by Using Contrast Enhancement Patterns at US Radiology, December 1, 2003; 229(3): 798 - 805. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H.-X. Xu, L. Liu, M.-D. Lu, H.-P. Li, G.-J. Liu, and J.-P. Li Three-dimensional Power Doppler Imaging in Depicting Vascularity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma J. Ultrasound Med., November 1, 2003; 22(11): 1147 - 1154. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. W. Kim, B. I. Choi, S. H. Park, H.-C. Kim, M. W. Lee, S. H. Kim, K. H. Lee, C. H. Park, J. S. Kim, H.-J. Won, et al. Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Assessment of Vascularity With Single-Level Dynamic Ultrasonography During the Arterial Phase J. Ultrasound Med., September 1, 2003; 22(9): 887 - 896. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. H. Youk, C. S. Kim, and J. M. Lee Contrast-Enhanced Agent Detection Imaging: Value in the Characterization of Focal Hepatic Lesions J. Ultrasound Med., September 1, 2003; 22(9): 897 - 910. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. von Herbay, C. Vogt, and D. Haussinger Pulse Inversion Sonography in the Early Phase of the Sonographic Contrast Agent Levovist: Differentiation Between Benign and Malignant Focal Liver Lesions J. Ultrasound Med., November 1, 2002; 21(11): 1191 - 1200. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. I. Choi, A. Y. Kim, J. Y. Lee, K. W. Kim, K. H. Lee, T. K. Kim, and J. K. Han Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Contrast Enhancement With Levovist J. Ultrasound Med., January 1, 2002; 21(1): 77 - 84. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Cioni, R. Lencioni, S. Rossi, F. Garbagnati, F. Donati, L. Crocetti, and C. Bartolozzi Radiofrequency Thermal Ablation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Using Contrast-Enhanced Harmonic Power Doppler Sonography to Assess Treatment Outcome Am. J. Roentgenol., October 1, 2001; 177(4): 783 - 788. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Tanaka, T. Ioka, O. Oshikawa, Y. Hamada, and F. Yoshioka Dynamic Sonography of Hepatic Tumors Am. J. Roentgenol., October 1, 2001; 177(4): 799 - 805. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. R. Wilson, P. N. Burns, D. Muradali, J. A. Wilson, and X. Lai Harmonic Hepatic US with Microbubble Contrast Agent: Initial Experience Showing Improved Characterization of Hemangioma, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, and Metastasis Radiology, April 1, 2000; 215(1): 153 - 161. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				D. M. Leifer, W. D. Middleton, S. A. Teefey, C. O. Menias, and J. R. Leahy Follow-up of Patients at Low Risk for Hepatic Malignancy with a Characteristic Hemangioma at US1 Radiology, January 1, 2000; 214(1): 167 - 172. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				N. Taniguchi, K. Itoh, M. Honda, T. Obayashi, M. Nakamura, F. Kawai, and T. Irie Comparative Ultrasonographic and Angiographic Study of Carotid Arterial Lesions in Takayasu's Arteritis Angiology, January 1, 1997; 48(1): 9 - 20. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. J. Dill-Macky, P. N. Burns, K. Khalili, and S. R. Wilson Focal Hepatic Masses: Enhancement Patterns with SH U 508A and Pulse-Inversion US Radiology, January 1, 2002; 222(1): 95 - 102. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]