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Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS)
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Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) is an advanced imaging technique used in breast imaging to improve lesion characterization by enhancing vascular details. CEUS uses microbubble contrast agents to highlight blood flow patterns, improving the differentiation between benign and malignant lesions. Below are the main types of CEUS used in breast imaging:
1. Qualitative CEUS
- B-mode CEUS: Enhances lesion visibility with real-time imaging.
- Color Doppler CEUS: Highlights vascular structures within lesions.
- Power Doppler CEUS: Detects slow-flowing blood and smaller vessels.
2. Quantitative CEUS
- Time-Intensity Curve (TIC) Analysis: Measures the contrast enhancement kinetics over time.
- Peak Enhancement (PE): Assesses the maximum intensity reached.
- Wash-in/Wash-out Patterns: Evaluates how quickly contrast enters and exits the lesion.
- Area Under the Curve (AUC): Determines overall contrast uptake.
3. Advanced CEUS Techniques
- Parametric Imaging CEUS: Uses color-coded maps to visualize enhancement kinetics.
- 3D CEUS: Provides volumetric assessment of lesions.
- CEUS Elastography: Combines contrast imaging with tissue stiffness evaluation.
