J Korean Soc Med Ultrasound.  2000 Dec;19(4):335-341.

Comparison Study among Conventional, Tissue Harmonic and Pulse Inversion Harmonic Images to Evaluate Pleural Effusion and Ascites

• Chung HH
• Kim YH
• Kang CH
• Park BJ
• Chung KB
• Suh WH

Abstract

PURPOSE
To determine the most useful sonographic technique to evaluate pleural effusion and ascites by compar-ing conventional, tissue harmonic and pulse inversion harmonic images.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
12 patients having pleural effusion and 14 patients having ascites were included in this s-tudy. 18 patients were male and 8 patients were female. Average age was 54.8yrs(25-77). We compared images which had been taken at the same section with 3 above mentioned sonographic techniques. Evaluation was done by 3 radiologists in consensus and grades were given to 3 techniques from 1 to 3. Evaluating points were 1) nor-mal structures that border the fluid such as liver, peritoneal lining, pleura, 2) septation in fluid, 3) debris floating in fluid, and 4) artifacts.
RESULTS
Pulse inversion harmonic image was the best in image quality for normal structures, followed by tissue harmonic and conventional image(p<0.05). Pulse inversion harmonic image was better than conventional im-age to evaluate septation in fluid(p<0.05), but there were no statistically significant difference between pulse in-version and tissue harmonic images, and tissue harmonic and conventional images. Tissue harmonic image was better than pulse inversion harmonic and conventional images to evaluate debris floating in fluid(p<0.05) but there was no statistically significant difference between these two latter techniques. Artifacts were most promi-nent on conventional image followed by tissue harmonic and pulse inversion harmonic image(p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Pulse inversion harmonic image was the best sonographic technique to evaluate pleural effusion or ascites, However, Tissue harmonic image was the best for evaluation of debris.

MeSH Terms

Artifacts
Ascites*
Consensus
Female
Humans
Liver
Male
Pleura
Pleural Effusion*
Ultrasonography