Contrast enhanced ultrasonography in renal cell carcinoma: is there a special pattern of aggressiveness?

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in depicting the aggressivity of the renal cell carcinoma. Material and methods: We analyzed 10 patients with different stages of renal cell carcinoma, one with tumor recurrence. The TNM classification was: T1N0M0- two cases; T2NXM0- three cases; T2N1M0-one case; T3N1M1-two cases; T3N0M0 in two cases. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was performed using low-acoustic power modes and a sulfur hexafluoride-filled microbubble contrast agent. In all cases the early and late phase were recorded. In the early phase, the time of vascular si…