Diagnostic potential of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the assessment of spleen and liver granulomas in the course of sarcoidosis

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to analyze the diagnostic potential of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for the recognition of focal lesions of the spleen and liver in patients suffering from sarcoidosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed the outcome of diagnostic imaging in a group of 21 patients treated for pulmonary sarcoidosis, searching for the systemic infiltration of the liver and/or spleen. All the participants are patients with inactive disease, who are monitored every 6 months at the Pulmonology Clinic. Apart from the check-up high-resolution computed tomography (HR-CT) — every 2 years, patients underwent an initial ultrasound examination (US) and if there was a suspicion of systemic infiltration, abdominal CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CEUS were performed. RESULTS: In 18 patients suffering from pulmonary sarcoidosis diagnostic imaging revealed no systemic infiltration. In three patients, the use of CEUS exposed the presence of lesions in the parenchymal organs. In all cases, the images from CEUS were consistent with those from CT/MRI. CONCLUSIONS: CEUS has the potential to become a reliable and safe screening tool for systemic infiltration in patients with sarcoidosis. It may also be an important method of monitoring the effects of therapy.