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Assessment of disease activity in alveolar echinococcosis: a comparison of contrast-enhanced ultrasound, three-phase helical CT and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography

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Abstract

Background

The objective of the present study was to assess activity or vascularization of focal liver lesions in alveolar echincoccosis using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET) in comparison with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and three-phase helical computed tomography (CT).

Methods

In this prospective study, 17 patients with confirmed alveolar echinococcosis (AE) of the liver were included (6 males, 11 females; average age 59 ± 16 years; average duration of disease 10.5 years) and were then examined using FDG-PET, precontrast ultrasound (US), CEUS, and three-phase helical CT. We assessed metabolic activity (FDG-PET) and vascularization (CEUS and CT) of Echinococcus multilocularis specific hepatic lesions.

Results

FDG-PET identified increased metabolic activity in the corresponding lesions in seven patients (41.2%). A vascularization pattern of echinococcal lesions was visualized in nine patients (52.9%) by CEUS and in four patients (23.5%) by CT. All positive FDG-PET findings were also positive at CEUS.

Conclusions

There was association between findings of metabolic activity in AE at FDG-PET and vascularized lesions of the liver returned by CEUS. This suggests that CEUS may represent a cost-effective tool in the decision making to perform FDG-PET examination.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Robert-Koch-Str. 8, 89081, Ulm, Germany

    Alexander R. Ehrhardt, Mark M. Haenle, Richard A. Mason & Wolfgang Kratzer

  2. Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Ulm, Robert-Koch-Str. 8, 89081, Ulm, Germany

    Stefan Reuter & Peter Kern

  3. Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Robert-Koch-Str. 8, 89081, Ulm, Germany

    Andreas K. Buck

  4. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Ulm, Steinhoevelstr. 9, 89081, Ulm, Germany

    Andreas Gabelmann

Authors
  1. Alexander R. Ehrhardt
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  2. Stefan Reuter
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  3. Andreas K. Buck
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  4. Mark M. Haenle
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  5. Richard A. Mason
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  6. Andreas Gabelmann
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  7. Peter Kern
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  8. Wolfgang Kratzer
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Correspondence to Wolfgang Kratzer.

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Ehrhardt, A.R., Reuter, S., Buck, A.K. et al. Assessment of disease activity in alveolar echinococcosis: a comparison of contrast-enhanced ultrasound, three-phase helical CT and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography. Abdom Imaging 32, 730–736 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-006-9173-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-006-9173-1

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