Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 19, Issue 12 817-821, Copyright © 2000 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Perfusion abnormalities of kidney parenchyma: microvascular imaging with contrast-enhanced color and power Doppler ultrasonography--preliminary results
R. Puls, N. Hosten, M. Lemke, U. K. Teichgraber, H. K. Steinkamp and R. Felix
Humboldt Universitat zu Berlin, Medizinische Fakultat Charite, Klinik fur Strahlenheilkunde, Berlin, Germany.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of microvascular
imaging using contrast-enhanced color and power Doppler sonography. Ten
patients with a focal lesion of the kidney were examined. Three patients
were investigated with the polymeric butylcyanacrylate-based contrast agent
SHU 563A, and the remaining patients were investigated with the
galactose-based agent Levovist. It was possible to observe the
microvascularization with Levovist during the blood pool phase of the agent
over a period of 1 to 3 s at 1 min and 2 min after injection. With SHU
563A, microvascular imaging was possible 0.50 s after injection and lasted
for 10.35 min. No intratumoral signals were seen in cysts (n = 6) and the
investigated abscess. Weak intratumoral polychromatic effects were observed
in both renal cell carcinomas in this series. Metastasis could be
differentiated from healthy parenchyma due to lack of the polychromatic
effect. SHU 563A is appropriate for performing microvascular imaging. The
Levovist-induced polychromatic effects are smaller, of shorter duration,
and observable only during the blood pool phase; thus, the expected
diagnostic benefit is limited.
