Ces radiol. 2015, 69(1):42-47 | DOI: 10.55095/CesRadiol2015/006

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in the evaluation of incidental focal liver lesions - a cost-effective studyOriginal article

Miriama Šmajerová, Hana Petrášová, Tomáš Andrašina, Vlastimil Válek
Radiologická klinika FN Brno a LF MU, Brno

Aim: The aim was to find out whether contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) is a cost-effective method for the first line evaluation of focal liver lesions (FLL) compared to CT and MRI.

Method: The retrospective study included 254 patients, with 538 FLL, examined using CEUS in 2012. Where CEUS results were not conclusive, CT or MRI was performed. Some patients with malignant findings on CEUS had additional CT for staging. We calculated the cost of this strategy. Then we calculated the cost if all of the patients had been examined by CT or MRI after initial native ultrasound.

Results: The costs for evaluation of these lesions by CEUS (+ additional examinations) were 888 763,01 Kč for the year 2012. If we had used CT or MRI it would have been 929 614,60 Kč and 4 317 011,94 Kč, respectively. CEUS was 40 851,59 Kč (4.39 %) cheaper compared to CT and 3 428 248,93 Kč (79.41 %) cheaper compared to MRI.

Conclusion: Costs for evaluation of FLL by CEUS and CT were similar. CEUS is a much more cost-effective method compared to MRI.

Keywords: contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS), focal liver lesions (FLL), cost-effectiveness
Grants and funding:

Práce byla podpořena grantem specifického výzkumu LF MU 1001/2013.

Accepted: January 30, 2015; Published: March 1, 2015  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Šmajerová M, Petrášová H, Andrašina T, Válek V. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in the evaluation of incidental focal liver lesions - a cost-effective study. Ces radiol. 2015;69(1):42-47. doi: 10.55095/CesRadiol2015/006.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Little J M, Richardson A, Tait N. Hepatic dystychoma: a five year experience. HPB Surgery 1991; 4(4): 291-297. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    2. Greis C. Technology overview: SonoVue (Bracco, Milan). European Radiology Supplement 2004; 14(8): 11-15. Go to original source...
    3. Albrecht T, Blomley M, Bolondi L, et al. Guidelines for the use of contrast agents in ultrasound - January 2004. Ultraschall in der Medizin 2004; 25(4): 249-256. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    4. Claudon M, Cosgrove D, Albrecht T, et al. Guidelines and good clinical practice recommendations for contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) - Update 2008. Ultraschall in der Medizin. 2008; 29(1): 28-44. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    5. Claudon M, Dietrich C F, Choi B I, et al. Guidelines and good clinical practice recommendations for contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the liver - Update 2012. A WFUMB-EFSUMB Initiative in Cooperation with Representatives of AFSUMB, AIUM, ASUM, FLAUS and ICUS. Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. 2013; 39: 187-210. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    6. Strobel D, Seitz K, Blank W, et al. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound for the characterization of focal liver lesions - diagnostic accuracy in clinical practice (DEGUM multicenter trial). Ultraschall in der Medizin 2008; 29(5): 499-505. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    7. Tranquart F, Fayault A, Le Gouge A, et al. Role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the blinded assessment of focal liver lesions in comparison with MDCT and CEMRI: results from a multicentre clinical trial. European Journal of Cancer Supplement 2008; 6(11): 9-15. Go to original source...
    8. von Herbay A, Westendorff J, Gregor M. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound with SonoVue: differentiation between benign and malignant focal liver lesions in 317 patients. Journal of Clinical Ultrasound 2010; 38(1): 1-9. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    9. Celli N, Gaiani S, Piscaglia F, et al. Characterization of liver lesions by real-time contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2007; 19(1): 3-14. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    10. Nicolau M C, Fontanilla E T, Del Cura R J L, et al. Usefulness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in daily clinical practice: a multicenter study in Spain. Radiología 2010; 52(2): 144-152. Go to original source...
    11. Trillaud H, Bruel J M, Valette P J, et al. Characterization of focal liver lesions with SonoVue®-enhanced sonography: International multicenter-study in comparison to CT and MRI. World Journal of Gastroenterology 2009; 15(30): 3748-3756. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    12. Romanini L, Grazioli L, Passamonti M, et al. Economic assessment of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for evaluation of focal liver lesions: A multicentre Italian experience. European Radiology Supplement 2007; 17(6): 99-106. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. Sporea I, Martie A, Bota S, et al. Characterization of focal liver lesions using contrast enhanced ultrasound as a first line method: a large monocentric experience. Journal of Gastrointestinal & Liver Diseases. 2014; 23(1): 57-63. Go to original source...
    14. Giesel F, Delorme S, Sibbel R, Kauczor H U, Krix M. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound for the characterization of incidental liver lesions - an economical evaluation in comparison with multi-phase computed tomography. Ultraschall in der Medizin (Stuttgart, Germany: 1980). 2009; 30(3): 259-268. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    15. Şirli R, Sporea I, Martie A, Popescu A, Dănilă M. Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound in focal liver lesions - a cost efficiency study. Medical Ultrasonography 2010; 12(4): 280-285.
    16. Tranquart F, Correas J M, Ladam M V, et al. Échographie de contraste temps réel dans la prise en charge diagnostique des lésions nodulaires hépatiques: évaluation des performances diagnostiques et de l'impact économique sur une étude multicentrique française. Journal de Radiologie 2009; 90(1): 109-122. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    17. Faccioli N, D'Onofrio M, Comai A, Cugini C. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in the characterization of benign focal liver lesions: activity-based cost analysis. Radiologia Medica 2007; 112(6): 810-820. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content