The Transformative Role of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) in Chronic Liver Disease
A special issue of Livers (ISSN 2673-4389).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2026 | Viewed by 22
Special Issue Editor
Interests: hepatology; gastroenterology; ultrasound; contrast enhanced ultrasound; shearwave
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Managing the complex journey of chronic liver disease (CLD), from cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and transplatation, demands imaging that is precise, safe, accessible, and adaptable. Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) has emerged as a revolutionary tool, offering, for the first time, real-time, dynamic visualization of liver microvascularity without ionizing radiation or nephrotoxic risk. Its compelling clinical utility spans the entire spectrum of CLD care. Diagnosis: CEUS excels in characterizing elusive focal liver lesions. By capturing unique, real-time enhancement patterns, it achieves high diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity 85-92%, specificity 89-95%) for HCC within cirrhotic livers, frequently matching CT/MRI. It crucially clarifies indeterminate lesions found on baseline US, reducing diagnostic delays and unnecessary invasive procedures. Follow-up and Monitoring: CEUS shines in longitudinal surveillance. Its real-time nature makes it exceptionally sensitive for detecting residual or recurrent tumor post-ablation and monitoring treatment response. It effectively identifies critical complications like portal vein thrombosis. Its outstanding safety profile allows for frequent, repeat examinations, making it ideal for patients with renal impairment where CT/MRI contrast is contraindicated. Therapy Guidance: CEUS becomes an invaluable intra-procedural partner. It dramatically enhances the precision and safety of biopsies and ablations by confirming target viability and spatial relationships to vessels in real-time, boosting diagnostic yield, ensuring complete ablation, and minimizing complications.
Why CEUS is indispensable? It delivers diagnostic performance rivaling advanced cross-sectional imaging but with unparalleled safety, lower cost, true real-time dynamic assessment, and point-of-care convenience. CEUS is not merely an alternative; it is an essential, versatile tool that enhances diagnostic confidence, optimizes therapeutic precision, and enables safe, personalized monitoring throughout the CLD pathway.
The growing body of evidence solidifying CEUS's pivotal role invites further exploration. We encourage researchers and clinicians to contribute original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and insightful case studies focusing on CEUS applications in CLD diagnosis, innovative follow-up strategies, therapeutic guidance, and future directions. Share your expertise to advance best practices and solidify CEUS's position in modern hepatology.
Dr. Francesco Giangregorio
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Livers is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- hepatology
- liver
- MASLD
- cirrhosis
- focal liver lesions
- conventional ultrasound
- contrast-enhanced ultrasound
- FibroScan
- endoscopic ultrasound
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
