Ultraschall in der Medizin : Organ der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Ultraschall in der Medizin, [der] Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Ultraschall in der Medizin, [der] Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Ultraschall in Medizin und Biologie
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Historical Article
A Milestone: Approval of CEUS for Diagnostic Liver Imaging in Adults and Children in the USA.
The approval of microbubbles with the inert gas sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and a palmitic acid shell (SonoVue(®), Bracco Geneva, CH) for the diagnostic imaging of liver tumors in adults and children by the FDA in the United States represents a milestone for contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). This warrants a look back at the history of the development of CEUS. The first publications based on echocardiographic observations of right ventricular contrast phenomena caused by tiny air bubbles following i. v. injection of indocyanine green appeared around 1970 1 2 3. A longer period of sporadic publications but no real progress then followed since, in contrast to X-ray methods, ultrasound works quite well without a contrast agent. ⋯ Like echocardiography and emergency ultrasound, CEUS began in Europe but will probably only establish its final diagnostic value as a "reimport". This is a major opportunity to permanently define the role of Ultrasound as a highly valuable, patient-centered imaging method in the German health care system. This may prompt some of our international readers to reflect upon the role of CEUS in their own countries.