Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound
1Tongji University, Shanghai, China
2KRH, Hannover, Germany
3Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
4Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound
Description
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is the major breakthrough in the field of diagnostic ultrasound in recent decades. It facilitates depiction of macro- and microcirculation of the target of interest in real time and noninvasively after administration of ultrasound contrast agent intravenously. CEUS has greatly reshaped the role of ultrasound in clinic practice. It has been demonstrated that CEUS is helpful in characterization and detection of focal lesions in various organs such as liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney, and so on. CEUS is also extensively involved in ultrasound-guided interventional procedures in that CEUS is useful to guide puncture and evaluate the treatment response. Quantitative CEUS has been tentatively used in monitoring systematic treatment of malignancy. In addition, the microbubble-based contrast agent has been served as the cavitation nucleus; thus, it can be used as a carrier for gene therapy or drug delivery. Therefore, CEUS is still in its youth and it is mandatory to find more interesting areas in which CEUS may have a potential.
We particularly take an interest in papers that report the use of CEUS in characterization or detection of cancers, especially the nonliver applications. Basic science papers about CEUS in gene therapy and drug-delivering system are also encouraged. Comparative studies between existing technologies (conventional ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging) are also topics of interest.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Liver cancer
- Gallbladder cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Breast cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Gyn. cancers
- Other abdominal or superficial cancers
- Basic studies using ultrasound contrast agent