Vascularity of hepatic VX2 tumors of rabbits: Assessment with conventional power Doppler US and contrast enhanced harmonic power Doppler US

摘要

AIM: To investigate the characteristics of the vascularity ofhepatic metastasis.METHODS: Six New Zealand rabbits, weighing averagely2.7±0.4 kg, were selected and operated to establish hepaticVX2 tumor carrier model. Hepatic VX2 tumors were thenimaged with conventional B mode US, second harmonicimaging (SHI), color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI), powerDoppler imaging (PDI) and harmonic PDI by a transducerS8 connected to HP-5 500 ultrasound system. A kind of selfmade echo contrast agent was intravenously injected at adose of 0.01 mL/kg through ear vein, and then the venouspassage was cleaned with sterilized saline.RESULTS: Totally, 6 hypoechoic lesions and 3 hyperechoiclesions were found in the six carrier rabbits with a mean sizeabout 2.1±0.4 cm under conventional B mode ultrasound, theywere oval or round in shape with a dear outline or a hypoechoichalo at the margin of the lesions. Contrast agent could notchange the echogenicity of the lesions under conventional Bmode and SHI, however, it could greatly increase the flowsensitivity of the lesions under PDI and harmonic PDI. Nutrientartery of these metastatic lesions might also be well depictedunder contrast enhanced PDI and harmonic PDI.CONCLUSION: Our result suggested that contrast enhancedPDI, especially harmonic PDI, was a promised method inthe detection of vascularity of hepatic tumor nodules.