Intraoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with time intensity curve (TIC) analysis for better assessment of liver tumor margins

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The purpose of this study was to conduct an intraoperative evaluation of focal liver lesions using time intensity curve (TIC) analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to better assess liver tumor margins.This study included 28 patients (21 men 75%, 7 women 25%) with malignant liver lesions (cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC), n = 9; hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), n = 6; hepatic metastases (HepMET), n = 13). A B-mode scan, color-coded Doppler sonography, and CEUS were performed intraoperatively to analyze the focal lesions. The generated parametric images were based on continuous cine loops, acquired with a multifrequency T-probe (6-9 MHz), from the early arterial phase (0-15 seconds) to the portal venous phase (1 minute), generated by integrated perfusion software. Analyses of the CEUS loops were performed using TICs with respect to time-to-peak (TTP) and area under the curve (AUC). Perfusion analysis was performed in the center and periphery of the tumor as well as in healthy liver tissue. All tumor lesions were evaluated histopathologically to verify the diagnosis.Sufficient image quality was achieved in all cases using CEUS for TIC analysis. A comparison of all groups showed a clear difference compared with the center, margin, and healthy liver tissue in the measured parameters of TTP and AUC (p = 0.035 and p = 0.045, respectively). In detail, differences were observed in the CCC group (TTP: p = 0.025) and in the HepMET group (TTP: p = 0.009), particularly in the peripheral areas (strong arterial flooding with a rapid increase in the flooding curve), with equally clear tumor edge representation compared with healthy liver tissue, as shown by the AUC analysis (CCC AUC: p = 0.032 and HepMET AUC: p = 0.029). In patients with HCC, the perfusion pattern (starting from the center) showed the center to be more clearly distinguishable from the edge with significant TTP and AUC (p = 0.035 and p = 0.038).Intraoperative TIC analysis of malignant liver tumors is an important diagnostic tool for better highlighting liver tumor margins during surgery. · CEUS with dynamic vascularization. Analysis of liver malignancies and tumor margins. Intraoperative time intensity curve analysis.. · Dropco I, Kaiser U, Jung F et al. Intraoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with time intensity curve (TIC) analysis for better assessment of liver tumor margins. Rofo 2025; DOI 10.1055/a-2600-7229.

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