Liwu Lin MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Ensheng Xue MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To evaluate the value of contrast-enhanced sonography in early diagnosis of intrahepatic recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after percutaneous ethanol injection.

A total of 126 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who have taken percutaneous ethanol injection were followed up for 3 to 24 months. The serumal AFP detection and color Doppler sonography scan were conducted regularly every three months for each patient. Contrast-enhanced sonography was carried out when either of the two examinations was positive. Compare the sensibilities, specificities, positive predictive values and negative predictive values of serumal AFP detection, color Doppler sonography scan and contrast-enhanced sonography in diagnosing intrahepatic recurrence after percutaneous ethanol injection.

Among 126 patients, 30 patients were confirmed intrahepatic recurrence by biopsy, 23 ectopic recurrence and 7 in situ recurrence. The sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of contrast-enhanced sonography in early diagnosing of intrahepatic recurrence were 96.67% (29/30), 100% (96/96), 100% (29/29) and 98.97% (96/97), respectively. However, those of serumal AFP detection were only 70% (21/30), 89.59% (86/96), 67.74% (21/31), 90.53% (86/95) and those of color Doppler sonography scan were only 73.33% (22/30), 90.63% (87/96), 70.97% (22/31), 91.58% (87/95). The statistics of contrast-enhanced sonography were significantly higher than those of both serumal AFP detection and color Doppler sonography scan (both P＜0.05).

Contrast-enhanced sonography is helpful to make the early diagnose of intrahepatic recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after percutaneous ethanol injection. The diagnostic sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of contrast-enhanced sonography were significantly higher than those of both serumal AFP detection and color Doppler sonography scan.

Use of contrast-enhanced sonography is a promising approach to improve the early diagnostic rate of intrahepatic recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after percutaneous ethanol injection.

Lin, L, Xue, E, Value of Contrast-enhanced Sonography in Early Diagnosis of Intrahepatic Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Percutaneous Ethanol Injection.  Radiological Society of North America 2008 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, February 18 - February 20, 2008 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2008/6007713.html