American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine Recommendations for Contrast-Enhanced Liver Ultrasound Imaging Clinical Trials

Received January 25, 2007, from Orlando Regional Healthcare, Orlando, Florida USA (L.G.); Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (P.B.); Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut USA (J.C.); Hammersmith Hospital, London, England (D.C.); University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan (J.B.F.); Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA (B.G., D.M.); University of California San Diego Medical Center, San Diego, California USA (R.M.); University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama USA (M.R.); and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (S.W.). Manuscript accepted for publication January 29, 2007. These recommendations were developed by the AIUM in consultation with the following companies: Bracco Imaging SpA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Medical Imaging, GE Healthcare, National Electrical Manufacturers Association, Philips Medical Systems Ultrasound, Siemens Medical Solutions, Inc, and SonoSite. The AIUM acknowledges these companies for the background that they provided; it was essential to the development of this document. Address correspondence to Lennard Greenbaum, MD, Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, The Hughes Center for Fetal Diagnostics, 83 W Miller St, Orlando, FL 32806 USA. E-mail: lengreenbaum@msn.com Abbreviations AIUM, American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine; ALARA, as low as reasonably achievable; CEUS, contrast-enhanced ultrasound; CT, computed tomographic; FDA, Food and Drug Administration; MI, mechanical index; MR, magnetic resonance; PVC, premature ventricular contraction Preamble