Ultrasound Bests CT for Portal Vein Thrombosis
A study reported in European Radiology indicates that contrast-enhanced (CE) ultrasound (US) detected portal vein thrombosis at a significantly higher rate than CT in patients with such complicating hepatocellular carcinoma.
A collaborative team of researchers from Italy and Canada assessed a group of 50 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by portal vein thrombosis. All of the patients underwent biopsy, along with both types of imaging.
Radiology reviewers were blinded to conditions. They reviewed the imaging studies for the presence of thrombosis of the portal vein and determined if such was malignant.
Data indicates that only 68 percent of the thrombi were identified with CT imaging, while all the thrombi were noted with CE US. An additional benefit noted with ultrasound imaging is an improvement in determining whether thrombi were malignant. Reviewers correctly identified malignancy in 98 percent of the cases based on data from CE US.
The team noted the benefits associated with CE US for this population of patients with malignancy. Another benefit of this modality is that it can be used to support disease staging.
April 15, 2008 Related topics: Imaging, Diagnostic, Radiology, Hematology & Oncology