Benefits of tissue harmonic imaging in the evaluation of abdominal and pelvic lesions

• DOI: 10.1007/s00261-001-0157-x
• Publication Date: 2003-02-06T18:48:59Z
• Authors: C. Yücel; H. Özdemir; E. Aşık; Y. Öner; S. Işık
• Keywords: Abdominal ultrasonography

We compared tissue harmonic imaging (THI) and conventional ultrasonography to determine whether THI improves image quality and facilitates lesion characterization.Eighty-nine various abdominal or pelvic lesions in 71 patients(34 men and 37 women; age range = 3-90 years, median age = 52 years) were evaluated with conventional ultrasonography and THI. Examinations were performed with frequencies of 2-5 MHz. All the images were stored on a hard disk and evaluated separately by three radiologists.According to the interpreters, THI improved overall image quality in 67 (74%) to 76 (84%) and lesion characterization in 28 (31%) to 36 (40%) of 89 lesions when compared with conventional ultrasonography. All three observers agreed that image quality and lesion characterization were improved in 62% and 17% of the lesions, respectively. Lesion groups containing five or more lesions were compared for any difference of improvement in overall image quality and lesion characterization. For overall image quality, a significant difference was found ( p < 0.05). For lesion characterization, there was no significant difference between groups ( p > 0.05).THI improved overall image quality and lesion characterization.