Quantitative diagnosis of early-stage liver cirrhosis with contrast-enhanced ultrasound--a clinical study.

Objective: To investigate the quantitative diagnosis value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for early-stage liver cirrhosis.

Methods: A total of 15 healthy subjects and 15 patients with cirrhosis were recruited into the present study, and the hepatic artery, portal vein, hepatic vein and liver parenchyma were dynamically monitored under ultrasonography and then qualified with the QLAB time-intensity curve to obtain the arriving time (AT) and the peak time (PT) of the hepatic artery, portal vein, hepatic vein and liver parenchyma. The hepatic artery to hepatic vein transit time (HA-HVTT = HVAT-HAAT) and portal vein to hepatic vein transit time (PV-HVTT = HVAT-PVAT) were calculated.

Results: The AT of the hepatic vein was significantly shorter than that in controls (P < 0.01); the HA-HVTT and PV-HVTT in cirrhosis patients were also significantly shorter than those in controls (P < 0.01). However, the PT in patients was significantly prolonged when compared with controls (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: The AT of the hepatic vein, the transit time of the liver and the PT of liver parenchyma can be used as non-invasive indicators in the quantitative diagnosis of early-stage liver cirrhosis.