Comparative Study on the Diagnosis Value of Contrast-enhance Ultrasound and Color Doppler Ultrasound for Small Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of contrast-enhance ultrasound (CEUS) and Color Doppler Ultrasound in the diagnosis of Small hepatocellular carcinoma (SHCC) in patients with posthepatitic cirrhosis. Methods One hundred and seventy- nine patients with focal liver lesions were referred to CEUS and baseline scan and Color Doppler. Forty -four small lesions in 39 patients were diagnosed pathologically as HCC by surgery or needle biopsy. Results Of 44 HCCs, there were 42 lesions (95.5%) having high enhanced CEUS arterial phase, and 2 lesions (4.5%) having the equal enhancement. Thirty-nine (88.6%) HCCs exhibited washout from portal to late phase. The accuracy of diagnosing Small HCC by CEUS were 86.4%, and by Color Doppler Ultrasound were 29.5% , according to the hyper-enhancement in arterial phase, iso-enhancement or hypo-enhancement in portal phase, hypo-enhancement in delayed phase. Conclusion CEUS might increase the diagnosis of small HCC.