The use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in uterine leiomyomas  

作　　者：ZHANG Xin-ling ZHENG Rong-qin YANG Yue-bo HUANG Dong-mei SONG Qian MAO Yong-jiang LI Yu-hua ZHENG Zhi-juan 

机构地区：[1]Department of Ultrasound , Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China [2]Department of Gynecology , Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China

出　　处：《Chinese Medical Journal》2010年第21期3095-3099,共5页中华医学杂志（英文版）

摘　　要：Background Ultrasound （US） is a popular method in the diagnosis and treatment of uterine leiomyomas, but the lack of accuracy greatly limits its application. Recently, microbubble enhancement technique affords direct depiction of tumor neovascularity and establishes a more precise vascular map of the tumor. This study was undertaken to describe the distribution patterns of SonoVue, a second-generation contrast agent, in the micrecirculation of uterine leiomyomas, and to investigate the potential use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound （CEUS） in the characterization and treatment of uterine leiomyomas.Methods Ninety-six patients with uterine leiomyomas were enrolled in this study. The CEUS was performed using cadence pulse sequencing technique （CPS） and SonoVue. Enhancement patterns of different lesions were observed.The diagnostic accuracy of CEUS was compared with that of conventional ultrasound.Results After contrast injection, vessels of macro- and micro-circulation of the myoma first appeared, followed by the normal myometrium and finally the endometrium. During the washout phase, the myoma exhibited homogeneous enhancement followed by apparent hypoenhancement. The margin of the tumor was depicted clearly. There was no agent perfusion in the benign degenerative or necrotic area. However in sarcomas degeneration, the feeding vessels appeared markedly earlier than those in myometrium. In addition, the tumor exhibited heterogeneous hyperenhancment with no agent perfusion in the center and no membraniform sign was observed in the late phase. In subserous andsubmucous leiomyomas, the feeding arteries in the pedicle arising from the uterine could be seen. In this study, the diagnostic accuracy of CEUS and conventional US for uterine leiomyomas was 96.7% （160/165） and 82.4% （136/165）respectively.Conclusions CEUS can provide a precise description of the leiomyomas vascularization. The specific enhancement pattern may be helpful for the characterization, treatment choice and therapeutic monitoring of lBackground Ultrasound （US） is a popular method in the diagnosis and treatment of uterine leiomyomas, but the lack of accuracy greatly limits its application. Recently, microbubble enhancement technique affords direct depiction of tumor neovascularity and establishes a more precise vascular map of the tumor. This study was undertaken to describe the distribution patterns of SonoVue, a second-generation contrast agent, in the micrecirculation of uterine leiomyomas, and to investigate the potential use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound （CEUS） in the characterization and treatment of uterine leiomyomas.Methods Ninety-six patients with uterine leiomyomas were enrolled in this study. The CEUS was performed using cadence pulse sequencing technique （CPS） and SonoVue. Enhancement patterns of different lesions were observed.The diagnostic accuracy of CEUS was compared with that of conventional ultrasound.Results After contrast injection, vessels of macro- and micro-circulation of the myoma first appeared, followed by the normal myometrium and finally the endometrium. During the washout phase, the myoma exhibited homogeneous enhancement followed by apparent hypoenhancement. The margin of the tumor was depicted clearly. There was no agent perfusion in the benign degenerative or necrotic area. However in sarcomas degeneration, the feeding vessels appeared markedly earlier than those in myometrium. In addition, the tumor exhibited heterogeneous hyperenhancment with no agent perfusion in the center and no membraniform sign was observed in the late phase. In subserous andsubmucous leiomyomas, the feeding arteries in the pedicle arising from the uterine could be seen. In this study, the diagnostic accuracy of CEUS and conventional US for uterine leiomyomas was 96.7% （160/165） and 82.4% （136/165）respectively.Conclusions CEUS can provide a precise description of the leiomyomas vascularization. The specific enhancement pattern may be helpful for the characterization, treatment choice and therapeutic monitoring of l

关 键 词：ULTRASOUND CONTRAST LEIOMYOMAS UTERINE PATHOLOGY 

分 类 号：R686[医药卫生—骨科学]