Schneider M, Broillet A, Bussat P, Giessinger N, Puginier J, Ventrone R, Yan F
Bracco Research SA, Carouge-Geneva, Switzerland.
Invest Radiol. 1997 Jul;32(7):410-7. doi: 10.1097/00004424-199707000-00007.
We evaluated the potential of BR14, a novel gas-based echo contrast agent, for gray-scale liver imaging and VX2 tumor detection/delineation in the conventional and harmonic imaging modes.
A single dose (0.2 mL/kg) of BR14 was administered to eight VX2 tumor-bearing rabbits. Imaging was performed with an ATL-HDI 3000. The B-mode gray levels were analyzed by videodensitometry in areas selected in the liver tissue, tumors, aorta, and the portal vein from frames recorded up to 1 hour after injection. The tumors were further assessed using subjective scores just before and after contrast injection, as well as 15 minutes later in both conventional gray-scale and harmonic imaging modes.
Gray-scale enhancement of the liver tissue was detectable soon after BR14 injection and remained at a high level even after clearance of the agent from the blood stream. On precontrast, of 42 observed tumors, 4 were perfectly detected (4/42). After injection of BR14, the number rose to 10/20 in the vascular phase and 12/20 in the delayed phase. In harmonic imaging, the corresponding numbers were even higher, 17/22 in the vascular phase and 18/22 in the delayed phase. The number of tumors perfectly delineated increased after BR14 from 1/42 to 3/20 in the vascular phase and 5/20 in the delayed phase. In the harmonic mode, 9 of 22 tumors were perfectly delineated in the vascular phase and 10 of 22 in the delayed phase.
BR14 is a promising new agent for the study of tissue perfusion and in particular for liver imaging. It shows not only strong, but also persistent gray scale enhancement of the parenchyma but not of the tumors. The increased conspicuousness allows considerable improvements in tumor detection and tumor delineation in conventional imaging and even more so in harmonic imaging.
我们评估了新型气体回声造影剂BR14在传统成像模式和谐波成像模式下用于肝脏灰阶成像及VX2肿瘤检测/勾画的潜力。
给8只荷VX2肿瘤的兔子单次注射剂量为0.2 mL/kg的BR14。使用ATL-HDI 3000进行成像。在注射后长达1小时记录的图像帧中，通过视频密度测定法分析肝组织、肿瘤、主动脉和门静脉选定区域的B模式灰阶。在造影剂注射前后以及15分钟后，采用主观评分法在传统灰阶成像模式和谐波成像模式下对肿瘤进行进一步评估。
注射BR14后很快就能检测到肝组织的灰阶增强，即使在造影剂从血流中清除后仍保持在高水平。在造影前，42个观察到的肿瘤中，有4个被完美检测到（4/42）。注射BR14后，血管期检测到的肿瘤数量增至10/20，延迟期增至12/20。在谐波成像中，相应的数量更高，血管期为17/22，延迟期为18/22。BR14注射后，完美勾画的肿瘤数量在血管期从1/42增加到3/20，延迟期增加到5/20。在谐波模式下，22个肿瘤中有9个在血管期被完美勾画，22个中有10个在延迟期被完美勾画。
BR14是一种有前景的新型试剂，可用于组织灌注研究，特别是肝脏成像。它不仅显示出实质组织强烈且持久的灰阶增强，肿瘤则不然。这种增强的显见度使传统成像中的肿瘤检测和肿瘤勾画有了显著改善，在谐波成像中更是如此。
