Purpose: To evaluate the ability of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in monitoring percutaneous microwave thermal ablation procedure in patients with hepatic malignances in comparison with contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CEMRI).
Materials and methods: A total of fifty-nine patients with 77 hepatic malignances underwent contrast-enhanced ultrasound and contrast-enhanced MRI one month after microwave ablation treatment. Comparing the results of these two examinations with that of at least 6 months follow-up.
Results: The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in evaluating the therapeutic effect of malignant hepatic masses with CEUS and CEMRI were 69.2% vs. 76.9%, 98.4% vs. 96.8%, and 93.5% vs. 93.5%, respectively. There were no significant statistical disparity between CEUS and CEMRI (P > 0.05). While the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 92.9%, 95.3%, and 96.1%, respectively, when combining CEUS with CEMRI for evaluating therapeutic response.
Conclusions: CEUS examination proved to be a safe and easy style for accessing therapeutic effect of microwave ablation for hepatic malignances and could provide results comparable to those obtained with CEMRI. Combining the results of these two examinations could reduce false positive and negative diagnosis and improve the sensitivity for evaluating the therapeutic result.