Low Mechanical Index Contrast-Enhanced Sonographic Findings of Pyogenic Hepatic Abscesses

Abstract

Contrast-specific sonography was used to assess eight cases of aspiration-confirmed pyogenic liver abscesses. All cases were correlated with multiphasic helical CT findings. Continuous sonographic exploration allowed recognition of morphologic details not detectable on CT images. Contrast-specific sonograms showed features including rim enhancement, arteries along abscess margins and internal septa, dense and persistent septal enhancement, absent microcirculation in fluid and necrotic components, transient arterial phase hypervascularity around abscesses, and portal phase hypovascularity around abscesses. This constellation of findings is suggestive of liver abscess.