Purpose: To evaluate dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) for differentiating benign from malignant hepatic lesions in cirrhotic livers.
Methods: In a cohort of 146 cirrhotic patients, DCE-US perfusion parameters including wash-in time, peak enhancement, and wash-out rate were correlated with MRI and histopathology.
Results: DCE-US accurately identified hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with a sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 88%. Rapid wash-in and early wash-out patterns were the strongest predictors of malignancy (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: DCE-US provides a valuable noninvasive tool for hepatic lesion characterization in cirrhotic patients, potentially reducing reliance on biopsy and contrast-enhanced CT.
Keywords: ultrasound, hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhosis, contrast enhancement, liver imaging