Contrast‐enhanced ultrasound is helpful for differentiating benign from malignant parietal pleural lesions. Issue 1 (19th October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Findeisen, Hajo; Görg, Christian; Hartbrich, Ruby; Dietrich, Christoph Frank; Görg, Konrad; Trenker, Corinna; Safai Zadeh, Ehsan
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical ultrasound. Volume 50:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 90
• Page End: 98
• Publication Date: 2021-10-19
• Subjects: CEUS -- diagnosis -- parietal pleural lesions -- perfusion patterns -- ultrasound; Ultrasonics in medicine -- Periodicals; 616.07543
• DOI: 10.1002/jcu.23088
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0091-2751

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: To describe the value of contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for the differentiation of malignant from benign parietal pleural lesions (PPLs). Materials and Methods: From November 2005 to June 2019, 63 patients with histologically/cytologically confirmed PPLs were investigated by CEUS. On CEUS, the extent of enhancement (EE; marked or reduced/absent) and the homogeneity of enhancement (HE; homogeneous or inhomogeneous) were analyzed retrospectively. Results: In total, 24/63 lesions were benign, and 39/63 lesions were malignant. On CEUS, 11/24 benign and 36/39 malignant lesions showed a marked enhancement. A marked enhancement was significantly more frequently associated with malignancy compared with benign lesions ( p < 0.001). In five cases, due to the absence of enhancement, it was not possible to determine the HE. In the remaining cases, 9/20 benign and 19/38 malignant lesions showed an inhomogeneous enhancement ( p = 0.79). Conclusion: On CEUS, marked enhancement was significantly more frequently associated with malignant compared with benign lesions. However, some benign lesions, such as chronic inflammatory processes, may also show a marked enhancement. Therefore, the interpretation of perfusion patterns in these lesions must always take into account the clinical background of the patient. Abstract : On contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), a marked enhancement of parietal pleural lesions may be indicative of a malignant lesion. However, the interpretation of CEUS patterns in parietal pleural lesions must always take into account the clinical background of the patient.