Efficacy of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Differentiating Benign from Malignant Liver Lesions
1Muhammad Fahad Idrees, 2Dr Reeta Rani, 3Marwa Aslam, 4Mobeen Ali, 5Umar Khan, 6Hadi Raza
Submission: 22 January 2026 | Acceptance: 08 February 2026 | Publication: 06 March 2026,
1Walsall Manor Hospital
2Associate Professor Daignostic Radiology Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical College Lyari Karachi
3Mayo Hospital Lahore
4PIMS
5PIMS
6UHS, Lahore
ABSTRACT:
Background: The differentiation between benign and malignant liver lesions is crucial for determining appropriate management strategies. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has emerged as a promising imaging modality for this purpose, offering real-time visualization of vascular patterns.
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in differentiating benign from malignant liver lesions.
Methods: A total of 80 patients with suspected liver lesions were enrolled in this study between April 2023 and April 2024. Each patient underwent contrast-enhanced ultrasound, and the findings were compared with histopathological results obtained from biopsy or surgical resection. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of CEUS were calculated.
Results: The study demonstrated that CEUS had a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 90% in distinguishing benign from malignant lesions. The PPV was found to be 88%, and the NPV was 87%. Notably, the vascular patterns observed on CEUS provided significant insights into the characterization of liver lesions.
Conclusion: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound proved to be an effective tool for differentiating between benign and malignant liver lesions, with high sensitivity and specificity. These findings suggest that CEUS can be integrated into clinical practice as a non-invasive alternative to traditional imaging techniques, potentially improving patient management.
Keywords: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound, liver lesions, benign, malignant, imaging, sensitivity, specificity.