A considerable number of patients not only with LC but also with CH showed lower levels of BTR. It has been clarified that amino acid imbalance of Tyr was found in the early stage of liver disease, whereas decrease of BCAA was found mainly in F4 stage.

Abstract. some hepatocellular carcinoma (Hcc) nodules are detectable with dynamic computed tomography, but not by conventional B-mode ultrasonography (Us). contrast-enhanced Us (ceUs) with sonazoid, a new injectable contrast agent, has been used in Japan since January 2007. the primary advantage of this agent is the ability to maintain observations continuously in the Kupffer phase. We assessed the clinical role of ceUs with sonazoid for radiofrequency ablation (rFA). From January 2005 to December 2008, 1142 patients were treated with surgical resection, rFA, percutaneous ethanol injection or transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, following the exclusion of those patients treated with chemotherapy or supportive care. the patients included in the study were divided into the pre-ceUs (n=451, 2005 ) and post-ceUs (n=691, 2007 groups. clinical background (e.g., etiology, Child-Pugh classification, tumor node metastasis stage, percentage of patients matched with Milan criteria and selected therapies) was compared between the two groups. In addition, naïve cases were compared between the groups. there were 130 naïve Hcc cases in the pre-ceUs group and 171 in the post-CEUS group. Although there were no significant differences for clinical background, the percentage of rFA cases increased from 21 (n=95) to 32% (n=219) and from 32 (n=41) to 52% (n=89) for total and naïve subjects, respectively, after ceUs was introduced (P<0.01). In naïve cases treated with rFA, tumor numbers in the post-ceUs group were larger than those of the pre-ceUs group (1.15±0.48 vs. 1.40±0.67; P<0.01). ceUs with sonazoid, therefore, makes it possible to perform rFA in a considerable number of Hcc cases that would otherwise be invisible by conventional B-mode Us.

The primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)

Abstract

Abstract. This study aimed to elucidate the efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) with perfluorobutane (Sonazoid ® ) in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), particularly small HCCs, by comparing the results with dynamic computed tomography (Dy-CT). Seventy-nine nodules in 69 patients with chronic liver disease, suspected as HCCs were studied. The nodules were selected based on the results of B-mode ultrasonography and/or Dy-CT conducted between January and August 2007. The nodules were divided into two groups: the S-group with tumors ≤2 cm (49 nodules), and the L-group with tumors >2 cm (30 nodules). Typical HCCs were defined, and the nodules were enhanced and shown as defects in the arterial and late phase of Dy-CT, respectively. Target lesions were scanned using CEUS, and the results were compared with those of Dy-CT. The L-group nodules diagnosed as HCCs using Dy-CT were also diagnosed as HCCs using CEUS. In the S-group, the diagnostic sensitivity of CEUS was 94.7% and the specificity was 81.8%. We diagnosed two liver tumors that were detected by CEUS but not by Dy-CT; biopsies revealed one tumor to be a well-differentiated HCC and the other to be an atypical adenomatous hyperplasia. The sensitivity and specificity of CEUS against HCC were high even in the small-size HCCs. Thus, Sonazoid is useful in the screening for small HCCs.