Enhancing the Role of Ultrasound with Contrast Agents

Technique and Methodology of Contrast Ultrasound.- Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound: Basic Physics and Technology Overview.- Clinical Application of Contrast Ultrasound in Liver Diseases.- Characterisation of Benign Focal Liver Lesions with Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS).- Characterisation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Cirrhosis.- Detection and Characterisation of Liver Metastases.- Guidance of Percutaneous Tumor Ablation Procedures.- Follow-up of Oncology Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy.- Quantification of Microbubble Enhancement in Liver Imaging.- Intra-Operative Contrast Ultrasound in Liver Surgery.- European Guidelines in Liver Contrast Ultrasound.- Clinical Application of Contrast Ultrasound In Vascular Diseases.- Transcranial Doppler.- Contrast Ultrasound in Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke Management.- Abdominal Vessels.- New Prospects in Clinical Application of Contrast Ultrasound.- Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound of Focal Renal Lesions.- Renal Transplant Follow-up.- Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Low-Energy Blunt Abdominal Trauma.- Prostate Carcinoma.- Recent Advances in Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Woman Pelvis Lesions.- Role of Contrast Ultrasound in Breast Lesions and Sentinel Lymph Nodes.- Value of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The introduction of microbubble contrast agents and the development of contrast-specific scanning techniques have opened new prospects in ultrasound. The advent of second-generation agents – that enable real-time contrast-enhanced imaging – has been instrumental in improving the acceptance and the reproducibility of examinations. Contrast ultrasound substantially improves detection and characterization of focal liver lesions with respect to baseline studies, and has already been introduced in international guidelines for the diagnosis of liver tumors. The role of contrast agents in vascular ultrasound is also established, and several new clinical applications are emerging. This book, written by the leading experts in the field, provides an up-to-date overview on the clinical value of contrast agents in ultrasound. The volume moves from a background section on technique and methodology to the main sections on the clinical application of contrast ultrasound in the liver and in vascular diseases. A final section discusses results and prospects of contrast ultrasound modality in the other fields.