[Diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in liver metastases and its clinical application].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the performance of liver metastases with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and assess its clinical application. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with 21 untreated liver metastases underwent CEUS with low mechanical index imaging. The characteristic appearances of CEUS in different vascular phases were observed. RESULTS: Of 21 metastases, 19 (90.5%) were identified as fast-in and fast-out enhancement pattern. In the arterial phase, all the 21 lesions showed enhancement but with varied appearances: 12 (57.1%) showed early diffuse enhancement, 8 (38.1%) showed ring-like enhancement, and the remaining one lesion of large size showed slowly enhomogenous minor enhancement. In the late phase, sharp defects were found in 20 lesions (95.2%), and more lesions were detected in 3 patients (14.3%). CONCLUSION: CEUS can show the characteristic appearance of liver metastases, and can be used for the screening and diagnosis of liver cancers.