UltraCon: Microflow imaging on par with CEUS for guiding tumor ablation

AUSTIN -- Microflow imaging performs just as well as contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for guiding tumor ablation and may be an economical alternative, according to research presented April 8 at UltraCon. In her talk, Ziyue Hu, MD, from Sichuan Cancer Hospital in China highlighted findings showing that along with yielding comparable performance in treating thyroid nodules, microflow imaging in this area is less costly and invasive than CEUS. “We found that in the microwave ablation procedure for thyroid nodules that … microflow imaging offers the advantages of reducing surgical expenses, which lessens the economic burden for patients,” Hu said. Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation determines complete necrosis of targeted tumor areas, with CEUS being able to observe intra-tissue blood flow perfusion. This, in turn, allows for sensitive monitoring of residual lesions.Ziyue Hu, MD, from Sichuan Cancer Hospital in China highlighted findings at UltraCon, showing that along with comparable performance in treating thyroid nodules, microflow imaging is a less costly and invasive approach to tumor ablation than CEUS.Amerigo Allegretto However, Hu said that CEUS has its share of limitations, including being an invasive and costly tool and being inaccessible for patients with contrast allergies or cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Microflow imaging meanwhile is an ultrasound method that visualizes small vessels and slow blood flow signals without using contrast agents. This meth...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Ultrasound Source Type: news