Clinical value of three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in evaluation of hepatic arteries anatomy types

Objective To assess the value of three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (3D-CEUS) in evaluation of hepatic arteries variants. Methods Both two-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (2D-CEUS) and 3D-CEUS were used to assess 30 patients including living donor candidates and patients with upper abdomen tumors. The reference standard was operation or CTA or DSA or MRA,and the accuracy for detecting hepatic artery variants provided by the two methods was evaluated. Arterial anatomic types were defined by using Michels classification. Results The total accuracy for detecting hepatic artery anatomy types by 2D-CEUS was 40.0% (12/30),while 83.3% (25/30) by 2D-CEUS. For convention anatomy types the accuracy on 2D-CEUS and 3D-CEUS were 40.9%(9/22)and 90.9%(20/22),respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P0.05). For anatomy variants types the accuracy on 2D-CEUS and 3D-CEUS were 37.5%(3/8)and 62.5%(5/8),respectively. No significant difference between these two methods was observed. Conclusion 3D-CEUS was a new method in diagnosis of hepatic arteries anatomy types with practical clinical value in evaluation of the living liver donors.