Wilson Stephanie R, Burns Peter N
Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Ultrasound Q. 2006 Mar;22(1):15-8.
Conventional Doppler provides information on blood flow including both flow and direction and flow velocity. Information on the slowly flowing blood at the capillary level, however, has not previously been available on state of the art Doppler. Contrast enhanced ultrasound provides, for the first time, information on tissue perfusion such that CEUS may now play a role in liver mass characterization and the evaluation of masses in other solid viscera similar to the role of contrast enhanced CT and MR scan. Renal applications include similar mass characterization and evaluation of renal perfusion and the renal vasculature. Surveillance of aortic stent grafts, monitoring RFA, and evaluation of both prostate and breast masses are further areas of interest. Our experience with ultrasound contrast expands progressively, and essentially adds vascular information to any region when blood flow information is required. The addition of CEUS to clinical practice has significant impact on patient management. In patients with an incidental liver mass on sonography, for example, characterization at the time of tis detection reduces the time to diagnosis and decreases referrals to CT or MR scan. Ultrasound contrast agents are easy to use, have a very low incidence of adverse events, and are unaffected by renal function. As they add no radiation for their use, they are highly appropriate in pediatric and young adult patients. Ultrasound is enhanced by addition of contrast agents.
传统多普勒可提供有关血流的信息，包括血流、方向和流速。然而，关于毛细血管水平缓慢流动血液的信息，在目前最先进的多普勒技术中此前尚无。超声造影首次提供了有关组织灌注的信息，使得超声造影现在可能在肝脏肿块特征描述以及其他实体脏器肿块评估中发挥作用，类似于增强CT和磁共振扫描的作用。肾脏应用包括类似的肿块特征描述以及肾脏灌注和肾血管系统的评估。主动脉支架移植物的监测、射频消融监测以及前列腺和乳腺肿块的评估是其他感兴趣的领域。我们在超声造影方面的经验不断积累，并且在需要血流信息时，基本上能为任何区域增添血管信息。将超声造影添加到临床实践中对患者管理有重大影响。例如，对于超声检查偶然发现肝脏肿块的患者，在发现时进行特征描述可缩短诊断时间并减少转介至CT或磁共振扫描的情况。超声造影剂易于使用，不良事件发生率极低，且不受肾功能影响。由于使用时不产生辐射，它们非常适合儿科和年轻成年患者。添加造影剂可增强超声检查效果。
