The value of dynamic imaging for standardization of abdominal ultrasonography.

PURPOSE: Digital video recording of dynamic images is a potential way to improve the reproducibility of abdominal ultrasonography (US). Static US and dynamic US were compared using contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) as a reference standard, and the value of stored video images was verified.

METHODS

The subjects were 120 individuals who had undergone CE-CT ≤1 month before undergoing US. After static US, dynamic US was carried out according to the Scanning Procedure for Abdominal Ultrasonography described in this paper, and records of 30 separate scans were saved on digital video discs (DVD) as individual video files for interpretation. The findings from static US and dynamic US were compared.

RESULTS

With respect to the abdominal US signs covered in this evaluation, dynamic US achieved a detection rate equivalent to or better than that of static US. Detection rates were significantly more frequent on dynamic US for: enlarged hepatic hilum lymph nodes (P < 0.001); gallbladder wall thickness (P < 0.01); cystic lesions of the liver, bright liver, and splenomegaly (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Dynamic US is a valuable tool because it enables repeated evaluation of target organs with playback speed adjustment.