Ultrasound—New Techniques Are Extending the Applications.

Abstract

Sonography is often the first imaging procedure to be used in diagnostic investigation of the abdomen. The aim of this article is to provide a new interdisciplinary overview of recent groundbreaking advances in this modality. A selective survey of the literature in PubMed was conducted. The literature search was carried out in 2021-2022 and included publications over the period 2004-2022. The novel sonographic software techniques can be divided into algorithms that deal with conventional B-scan optimization and new programs that extend the scope of sonographic examination. The latter include elastography, contrast-enhanced sonography, and image fusion in combination with other cross-sectional imaging modalities. Elastography can be used to assess the presence of steatosis, fibrosis, or cirrhosis in patients with liver disease. One study reported diagnostic accuracy of 84-87% for the diagnosis of significant fibrosis (F2), 89-91% for the diagnosis of severe fibrosis (F3), and 92-93% for the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis (F4). Contrast-enhanced sonography is used for evaluation of tumors and trauma. A prospective multicenter study found sensitivity of 95.8% for the characterization of malignant lesions and specificity of 83.1% for benign lesions. Image fusion has the potential to improve the diagnostic assessment of parenchymatous organs, vascular conditions, and the prostate. With continuous improvement of the B-scan and the development of high-frequency probes and novel investigation techniques, sonography has become established as an increasingly autonomous examination procedure.