Cited 13 times since 2010 (0.9 per year) source: EuropePMC Ultrasound in medicine & biology, Volume 36, Issue 10, 1 1 2010, Pages 1626-1636 Perfusion CT and US of colorectal cancer liver metastases: a correlative study of two dynamic imaging modalities. Meijerink MR, van Waesberghe JH, van Schaik C, Boven E, van der Veldt AA, van den Tol P, Meijer S, van Kuijk C

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between dynamic-contrast-enhanced computed tomography (DCE-CT) and first-pass dynamic-contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) of normal appearing liver parenchyma and of colorectal cancer liver metastases. Thirty patients with hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer underwent DCE-CT and DCE-US. To obtain DCE-US reproducibility measurements, double contrast-passages (2 × 2.4 mL SonoVue intravenous) were acquired. From several DCE-US-derived perfusion indices, the slope-value scored best with a reproducibility concordance correlation coefficient ranging from 0.75-0.93 and overall highest correlation to DCE-CT-derived variables (r = 0.52 to 0.73). The DCE-US-based tumor-to-liver perfusion gradient also showed a low test-retest variability and moderately correlated to DCE-CT (concordance correlation coefficient 0.87-0.92; r = 0.57 to 0.59). To conclude, DCE-US-based slope-value and tumor-to-liver perfusion gradient correlate best with DCE-CT perfusion values. However, both techniques cannot be used interchangeably. DCE-US should be restricted for studies in which a considerable change in perfusion is expected and for patients with a relatively high tumor blood flow at baseline.

Ultrasound Med Biol. 2010 10;36(10):1626-1636