Contrast-enhanced ultrasound to assess gallbladder polyps.

Abstract Purpose To assess the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in distinguishing adenomatous gallbladder polyps from cholesterol gallbladder polyps. Methods A total of 164 patients with gallbladder polyps were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent B-mode ultrasound (US) and CEUS before cholecystectomy. Gallbladder polyps were divided into cholesterol polyp group and adenomatous polyp group according to pathology. Differences in patient's age, gender, maximum polyp size, number, presence of gallstones, vascularity and stalk width measured by US and vascular stalk width measured by CEUS were tested between the two groups. The diagnostic performance of specific US features was evaluated. The independent factors related with adenomatous polyps were analyzed by multiple logistic regression analyses. Results There were 114 cholesterol polyps and 50 adenomatous polyps in 164 patients analyzed in the study. Differences in maximum size, vascularity, and stalk width of the gallbladder polyp were significant between the two groups (p   0.05). Stalk width was wider than vascular stalk width between the two groups (p  Conclusion Vascular stalk width measured by CEUS is more accurate than stalk width measured by grayscale US in distinguishing adenomatous polyps from cholesterol polyps.