Contrast-enhanced super-resolution imaging of the liver.

The present review of the most common liver lesions describes the possibilities for using the novel super-resolution contrast-enhanced ultrasound technique. There are advantages for visualizing the microvasculature and thus for the characterization of a vascular pattern: in the arterial phase as benign and regular or as malignant and irregular. In the case of hepatocellular carcinomas, small irregular focal lesions or signs of remaining tumor or early tumor recurrence after partial tumor resection or ablation can be identified. Benign tumors usually have a regular vascular pattern. Especially in the case of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), the regular vascular pattern can be clearly visualized on super-resolution imaging. In the case of malignant lesions, the technique can show the irregular neovascularization. The case studies relate to the most common liver lesion entities that can be detected and characterized in large clinical studies with high diagnostic certainty with dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).