Contrast enhanced ultrasound is a new technique that uses microbubble-based contrast agents to improve the echogenicity of blood and tissue vascularity. This offers several advantages over the alternative imaging modalities like CT, MRI and Nuclear medicine. A few advantages are it can be performed right after a routine ultrasound, there is no exposure to ionizing radiation, and it allows prolonged real time examinations. The disadvantages to contrast enhanced ultrasound is that it is fairly new and we do not know exactly what the risk factors are. One article written by Dijkmans states that “As no serious adverse events were seen during the preclinical development phase, ultrasound contrast agents were thought to be …show more content…
Another study was concluded of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in the characterization of ovarian tumors. The purpose of this study written by Sconfienza, was to “determine whether contrast enhanced ultrasonography of ovarian lesions provides useful information that cannot be obtained with conventional ultrasound. We used contrast enhanced ultrasound to assess 72 nonspecifiic adnexal lessons in 61 patients. In 8/61 CEUS offered no additional morphovascular information. in 38/61 cases it provided addition information that did not modify the management of the lesion, and in 15/61 cases it gave additional information that modified the management of the lesion. Malignant lesions were characterized by significantly shorter times to peak enhancement and significantly higher peak intensity compared to benign lesions.” After this study was concluded it was proposed that contrast enhanced ultrasound is a valid alternative modality used for obtaining information regarding malignant lesions and