Characteristics of hepatic solitary necrotic nodules on contrast-enhanced ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: To summarize the characteristics of solitary necrotic nodules (SNN) in the liver observed under contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS). METHODS: Conventional ultrasonography (US) and CEUS were performed in 24 patients who were confirmed to have SNN by pathological assessment. The US data and dynamic enhancement patterns of CEUS were recorded and retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Ten of 24 patients underwent surgical resection, while the other 14 patients underwent a puncture biopsy to be confirmed as SNN. Among the 24 patients, 13 patients had a single lesion and 11 patients had multiple lesions. The largest lesion was selected for CEUS examination for patients with multiple lesions. Eleven patients presented no enhancement in all three phases, while the other 13 patients presented with a peripheral thin rim-like enhancement in the arterial phase, an iso-enhancement in the portal phase and delayed phase. However, no enhancement in the interior of the lesions was detected during three phases of CEUS. CONCLUSIONS: SNN has characteristic findings on the CEUS, which play an important role in the differential diagnoses of liver focal lesions.