Contrast‐enhanced, wide‐band harmonic gray scale imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation with helical computed tomographic findings.

Abstract

We evaluated the usefulness of contrast‐enhanced, wide‐band harmonic gray scale imaging for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and compared it with helical computed tomography. Forty‐eight patients with 61 hepatocellular carcinoma lesions were scanned by contrast‐enhanced, wide‐band harmonic gray scale imaging after an intravenous bolus injection of the contrast agent Levovist. Fifty‐seven of the 61 hepatocellular carcinoma lesions showed hypervascular enhancement, and intratumoral vessels could be observed in 40 of the 57 lesions. Helical computed tomography revealed a high‐attenuation area in 54 of the 61 lesions, whereas the other lesions showed an equivocal‐attenuation area. Contrast‐enhanced, wide‐band harmonic gray scale imaging is a useful method for diagnosing the vascularity of hepatocellular carcinoma.