Hepatocellular carcinoma: assessment of vascularity with single-level dynamic ultrasonography during the arterial phase.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the hemodynamic features of hepatocellular carcinoma on single-level dynamic ultrasonography during the arterial phase.

METHODS: Twenty-two hepatocellular carcinomas were examined by single-level dynamic ultrasonography with high transmit intensity and SH U 508A. The scans were performed for 40 seconds with a 1-second interval between each ultrasound transmission and with individual optimization of the scan delay time. The times of initiation of enhancement for both the hepatic artery and the tumor and the time of maximal enhancement for the tumor were recorded, and the mean echo values at every second for the tumor and hepatic parenchyma were measured.

RESULTS: Twelve tumors showed hyperechoic enhancement compared with hepatic parenchyma throughout the scans. The other 10 showed hyperechoic enhancement during some segments (range, 8-34 seconds) and either isoechoic (n = 5) or hypoechoic (n = 5) enhancement during the remaining parts; the hyperechoic segments were often short (< 20 seconds, 14%). Although the times for initiation of enhancement for the hepatic artery and hepatocellular carcinoma and the time of maximal enhancement for the tumor varied, the tumor usually initiated enhancement immediately after the hepatic artery (r = 0.986; P = .000001). The interval between the time of initiation of enhancement for the tumor or hepatic artery and that of maximal enhancement for the tumor was significantly correlated with the tumor size (r = 0.700; P = .008; and r = 0.780; P = .002).

CONCLUSIONS: With individual optimization of the scan delay time, single-level dynamic ultrasonography is useful for depicting the hypervascularity of hepatocellular carcinoma during the arterial phase.