shu-508 and Fatty-Liver

Topics: Contrast Media; Fatty Liver; Humans; Liver; Polysaccharides; Ultrasonography

To investigate Kupffer cell dynamics and phagocytic activity, using a rat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) model.. Male F344 rats were fed either a control diet or a choline-deficient L-amino acid-defined (CDAA) diet, followed by contrast enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) using Levovist. The uptake of latex beads by the Kupffer cells was determined by fluorescent microscopy. The status of the Kupffer cells was compared between the two groups, using the immunohistochemical staining technique.. After 4 or more wk of the CDAA diet, CEUS examination revealed a decrease in the signal intensity, 20 min after intravenous Levovist. Fluorescent microscopic examination showed that the uptake of latex beads by the Kupffer cells was reduced at week 1 and 2 in the study group, compared with the controls, with no further reduction after 3 wk. Immunohistochemical staining revealed no significant difference in the Kupffer cell counts between the control group and the CDAA group.. CEUS examination using Levovist demonstrated reduced contrast effect and phagocytic activity in the liver parenchymal phase, although the Kupffer cell numbers were unchanged, indicating reduced phagocytic function of the Kupffer cells in the rat NASH model. We believe that CEUS examination using Levovist is a useful screening modality, which can detect NASH in fatty liver patients.

Topics: Alanine Transaminase; Animals; Cells, Cultured; Contrast Media; Disease Models, Animal; Fatty Liver; Hepatitis; Kupffer Cells; Liver; Male; Mass Screening; Microspheres; Phagocytosis; Polysaccharides; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Ultrasonography

Topics: Biopsy, Needle; Contrast Media; Diagnosis, Differential; Fatty Liver; Female; Humans; Image Enhancement; Liver; Liver Neoplasms; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Middle Aged; Polysaccharides; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

The aim of this study was to describe gray-scale appearance of liver parenchyma and focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) by pulse inversion (PI) ultrasound (US) at baseline and after contrast agent administration in patients with normal and fatty liver. Sixteen consecutive patients (12 women, 4 men) with 29 previously diagnosed FNHs (15 of 29 located in normal liver and 14 of 29 in fatty liver) underwent PI US before and after SH U 508A (Levovist) injection. Signal intensity values were measured within the FNHs and the adjacent liver parenchyma in selected images. Baseline echogenicity of fatty liver was higher (15.19 +/- 2.90 dB +/- SD) than normal liver (10.91 +/- 3.15 dB +/- SD; p<0.001). After Levovist administration, normal livers (7 of 16) showed a statistically significant increase of echogenicity (16.59 +/- 3.81 dB +/- SD; p<0.001) in comparison with fatty livers (9 of 16; 15.75 +/- 3.12 dB +/- SD). The FNHs located in normal liver showed baseline echogenicity higher (12.29 +/- 3.22 dB +/- SD) than that of FNHs arising in fatty liver (7.06 +/- 2.43 dB +/- SD; p<0.001). After Levovist administration, FNHs located in normal liver showed a statistically significant increase of echogenicity (25.30 +/- 4.62 dB +/- SD) in comparison with FNHs located in fatty liver (13.58 +/- 3.54 dB +/- SD; p<0.001); the latter always showed mean values of echogenicity lower than surrounding liver parenchyma. In our series decreased contrast-enhancement pattern of both fatty liver and FNHs located in fatty liver was the most prominent finding when Levovist is administered. Contrast washout was a distinctive feature of FNH arising from the fatty liver.

Topics: Adult; Contrast Media; Fatty Liver; Female; Focal Nodular Hyperplasia; Humans; Liver; Male; Polysaccharides; Ultrasonography

Modern ultrasound technologies can be divided into methods of visual image improvement/presentation, image quantification, and echo contrast agent applications. Image improvement can be realized by options such as Photopic, tissue harmonic imaging, and panorama methods. Parametric ultrasound quantifies observer-independent image textures. Echo contrast agents offer a better detection of tumor lesions and vascular kinetic investigations.

Topics: Contrast Media; Fatty Liver; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis; Male; Polysaccharides; Splenic Infarction; Ultrasonography

To evaluate the characterisation of liver lesions using power Doppler sonography before and after intravenous injection of the ultrasound contrast agent Levovist.. 39 patients with 41 liver lesions (10 haemangiomas, 2 focal nodular hyperplasias (FNH), 2 focal fatty infiltrations, 1 echinococcal lesion, 11 hepatocellular carcinomas, 14 metastases and one cholangiocarcinoma) were evaluated prospectively. Power Doppler images before and after intravenous injection of the ultrasound contrast agent Levovist were analysed by two radiologists and one gastroeterologist, who subjectively classified the distribution (peripheral, central, diffuse) and amount (none, minimal, moderate and strong) of flow pattern in each sonographic examination. Histological verification was obtained in all liver lesions, except in haemangiomas, where MR imaging and in one FNH where scintigraphy was regarded as sufficient proof.. On the whole, power Doppler sonography after contrast injection was superior to unenhanced power Doppler-sonography in 20 liver lesions and equal in 7. After contrast injection, previously visible flow was enhanced in 14 patients, in 6 lesions flow was detected, which was not seen before in the power mode. Moderate or strong flow signals were detected before contrast injection in 8/26, post contrast injection in 18/26 malignant tumours. Contrawise, 13/15 benign lesions did show any or only minimal flow signals before and 10/15 after contrast injection.. Intratumoural flow signals favour a malignant tumour. The absence of flow signals is a frequent finding in benign lesions but does not rule out malignancy.

Topics: Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Contrast Media; Diagnosis, Differential; Echinococcosis, Hepatic; Fatty Liver; Hemangioma; Humans; Hyperplasia; Liver; Liver Diseases; Liver Neoplasms; Polysaccharides; Radionuclide Imaging; Radiopharmaceuticals; Reproducibility of Results; Technetium Tc 99m Lidofenin; Ultrasonography, Doppler

Patients with focal liver lesions (hemangioma, focal nodular hyperplasia, adenoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, metastatic lesions, focal fatty lesion) received the ultrasound contrast agent Levovist (300 mg/mL and 400 mg/mL) intravenously. This ultrasound contrast agent (a suspension of micrometer-sized microparticles of galactose and microscopic gaseous bubbles) can pass through the lungs without impairment. After the administration of Levovist, increased color flow signals were detected in the liver. Five of 6 patients with metastatic liver lesions showed previously undetected blood flow in the rim of the tumor. In 4 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, enhanced signal intensity was observed in the vessels of the rim and in 3 of those patients in the center of the tumor. One patient with adenoma and one patient with focal nodular hyperplasia showed signal enhancement in the central area of the tumor. No signal enhancement was observed in hemangiomas, a focal fatty lesion, or in a carcinoid metastatic lesion. Levovist increased the echointensity of normal and tumor vessels in liver lesions. This new ultrasound contrast agent led to the detection of tumor vessels previously not detectable by conventional color flow imaging.

Topics: Adenoma; Adult; Carcinoid Tumor; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Contrast Media; Fatty Liver; Female; Hemangioma; Humans; Hyperplasia; Image Enhancement; Injections, Intravenous; Liver; Liver Diseases; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Polysaccharides; Regional Blood Flow; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color