Dynamic contrast enhanced ultrasound in gastrointestinal diseases: A current trend or an indispensable tool?

Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been widely implemented in clinical practice because of the enormous quantity of information it provides, along with its low cost, reproducibility, minimal invasiveness, and safety of the second-generation ultrasound contrast agents. To overcome the limitation of CEUS given by the subjective evaluation of the contrast enhancement behaviour, quantitative analysis of contrast kinetics with generation of time-intensity curves has been introduced in recent years. The quantification of perfusion parameters [named as dynamic-CEUS (D-CEUS)] has several applications in gastrointestinal neoplastic and inflammatory disorders. However, the limited availability of large studies and the heterogeneity of the technologies employed have precluded the standardisation of D-CEUS, which potentially represents a valuable tool for clinical practice in management of gastrointestinal diseases. In this article, we reviewed the evidence exploring the application of D-CEUS in gastrointestinal diseases, with a special focus on liver, pancreas, and inflammatory bowel diseases.

Automated summary

Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is widely used in clinical practice due to its high information content, low cost, reproducibility, minimal invasiveness, and safety. Quantitative analysis of contrast kinetics with generation of time-intensity curves has been introduced to overcome the limitation of subjective evaluation of contrast enhancement in CEUS. The quantification of perfusion parameters, known as dynamic-CEUS (D-CEUS), has various applications in gastrointestinal neoplastic and inflammatory disorders, but standardization is hindered by limited large studies and heterogeneity of technologies employed. This article reviews the evidence exploring the application of D-CEUS in gastrointestinal diseases, with a focus on liver, pancreas, and inflammatory bowel diseases.