Purpose: The diagnosis of ischemic injury by B-mode-sonography is difficult in many cases. Aim of the pilot-study was to evaluate whether additional examination with the ultrasound contrast agent SonoVue could improve the sonographic diagnosis of ischemic injury.
Materials and methods: In a prospective study, intra-abdominal organs (n = 12) with ischemic lesions found by CT-scan were examined. All ischemic organs were examined by native B-mode-sonography and after injection of 1.2 ml SonoVue i. v. The SonoVue-examinations were performed using the CPS-software (Siemens, Erlangen).
Results: Native B-mode-sonography detected demarcation of ischemic lesions in only 7 of the 12 organs. In contrast, SonoVue-enhanced sonography diagnosed ischemic lesions in all organs. In one patient with renal infarction, however, the ischemic lesion found by SonoVue-enhanced sonography was smaller compared with the CT-scan. The diagnosis "compatible with ischemia" as cause for the abnormalities in B-mode sonography was described in only 3 out of 12 organs, and none of the organs were classified as "definite diagnosis of ischemia". In contrast, the diagnosis "definite diagnosis of ischemia" was made in 10 of the 12 organs when examined with SonoVue-enhanced sonography. In two further patients, the lesion was classified as "compatible with ischemia". In these patients, the diagnosis of ischemia was verified by CT-scan, due to the accompanying subtotal splenic infarction and a partial thrombosis of the coeliac trunc.
Conclusion: It became evident that SonoVue-enhanced sonography was more sensitive in the diagnosis of ischemic injury than native B-mode sonography.