Ultrasound contrast media in the characterization of soft tissue lesions: ongoing research

CT and MR imaging modalities have long used intravenously injected contrast material to visualize blood flow in the microcirculation and larger vasculatures. The use of microbubbles enables ultrasound to complement CT and MR in a number of clinical areas where perfusion is an important clinical differentiator. In many countries, ultrasound contrast agents are transitioning from research to clinical use as another tool in the characterization of liver and kidney lesions. The portability and real-time nature of ultrasound combined with contrast is finding new clinical utility in interventional therapies with the liver. The spatial and temporal resolution obtainable with ultrasound contrast provides new physiologic and pathophysiologic information not previously available.