Contrast-enhanced ultrasound features of hepatocellular carcinoma in dogs

Background This study aimed to describe the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) features of canine hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in relation to cellular differentiation and lesion size. Methods Sixty dogs with a cytological diagnosis of HCC and that underwent a CEUS examination were retrospectively selected. The wash-in and wash-out patterns of contrast enhancement, along with the time to wash-in and the time to wash-out, of each lesion were recorded. A dimensional cut-off value of 3 cm was adopted for classification. Results Cellular differentiation had a significant influence on both wash-in (chi-squared=16.99; P