Comparison of each vascular phase on contrast-enhanced sonography in the differentiation of benign from malignant focal liver lesions

Objective: To explore the clinical value of real-time harmonic gray-scale contrast enhanced sonography in the differentiation of benign from malignant focal liver lesions FLLs by the characterization of each vascular phase. Methods: Thirty-seven patients with FLLs underwent contrast enhanced ultrasound CEUS examination. The contrast enhanced characterization of FLLs were compared. Results: The arrival time, peak time, wash-out time and enhancement time of the malignant lesions were significantly earlier than those of the benign lesions P0.05. The enhancement pattern of benign and malignant FLLs in the arterial, portal and late phases was different. Conclusion: CEUS could reflect the changes of hepatic haemodynamics and improve the diagnostic performance in FLLs for discrimination between benignity and malignancy.