Assessment of therapeutic response to interventional therapy by contrast enhanced ultrasound in hepatic cancer

Objective To investigate the value of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in evaluating short term therapeutic response to interventional therapy of hepatic cancer.MethodsInterventional therapy was performed in 55 patients with 62 lesions,of which 13 lesions were treated by percutaneous ethanol injection(PEI),27 lesions by ultrasound guided percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy(PMCT) and 22 tumors by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE).Each patient underwent routine US and CEUS before and after therapy.The tumor necrosis and/or residual lession were observed.Results Of 62 lesions,20 residual tumors were shown by contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(CEMRI),19 residual lesions by CEUS,and 20 lesions by contrast enhanced computerized tomography(CECT).Tumor recrudescent in 1 case was detected by CEMRI and CEUS but was omitted by CECT.Only 8 lesions were found by the routine color Doppler ultrasonography.The sensitivity and accuracy of CEUS and CECT were obviously higher than those of routine color Doppler ultrasonography(P0.01).Conclusion CEUS can display morpha and microcirculation of the lesions,which has a significant value in assessing the efficacy of interventional therapy of hepatic cancer.