Characterization of non traumatic focal splenic lesions using Contrast Enhanced Sonography

Roberto Chiavaroli (1) , Pierfrancesco Grima (2)

1 Infectious Disease
2 Infectious Disease

Purpose. To compare the usefulness of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT) for assessing non-traumatic focal lesions of the spleen. Methods. CEUS and CT findings in 22 patients with fever of unknown origin and ultrasound detected splenic focal lesions were analyzed retrospectively. CEUS was performed using an ultrasound unit equipped with a 3.6-Mhz probe and contrast media-analyzing software. A 4-ml bolus of second-generation contrast medium was used. The CEUS examinations comprised a 4-minute recording following injection of the contrast medium. Magnetic resonance imaging, splenic biopsy, or ultrasound follow-up were used to facilitate diagnosis if findings from CT were inconclusive. Results. The final diagnoses were: 7 splenic infarcts, 5 hemangiomas, 3 lacerations, 2 benign cysts, 1 lymphoma, 1 granuloma, 1 abscess, and 2 lesions of unknown etiology. CEUS and CT had the same specificity (77.2%). Both CEUS and CT failed to characterize nodular hypovascular lesions with a hypoenhancing pattern. Conclusions. CEUS is as effective as CT for assessing non-traumatic focal lesions of the spleen. If CEUS findings are consistent with benign splenic lesions, CT seems to be of limited additional value.

Mots clés: Medicine

Roberto Chiavaroli, Pierfrancesco Grima. Characterization of non traumatic focal splenic lesions using Contrast Enhanced Sonography. Journal of Clinical Ultrasound, 2011, 39 (6), pp.310. ⟨10.1002/jcu.20831⟩. ⟨hal-00638140⟩