The application of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in differential diagnosis of gallbladder lesions

Objective To investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in differential diagnosis of gallbladder lesions.Methods Ninety-four cases of gallbladder lesions,including 84 benign lesions(62 cholesterol polyps,8 adenomas,14 adenomyomatosis)and 10 carcinomas of the gallbladder,were examined by CEUS before surgery to observe the characteristics of vascular structures and gallbladder wall.Outcomes were compared with pathological findings.Results The vascular structures of cholesterol were showed ashomogeneous dotted(32/62)orbranched vessel(14/62)orcentral vesseltype(16/62);adenomatosis asbranched vessel(4/8)orcentral vesseltype(4/8);adenomyomas ashomogeneous dottedtype(14/14);and carcinomas of the gallbladder as tortuous-type(10/10).The gallbladder wall was intact in 90.5%(76/84)benign lesions and was destroyed in 80.0%(8/10)carcinomas of the gallbladder.If the destruction gallbladder wall was considered as malignancy,the sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy were 80.0%(8/10),90.5%(76/84),and 89.4%(84/94),respectively,which were significantly better than conventional ultrasound(P0.01).Conclusion CEUS could show the vascular structures and gallbladder wall intactness,which were useful for the differential diagnosis of gallbladder lesions.