Ultrasound is a common and established imaging method for the initial characterization of renal lesions. The widespread used Bosniak classification (I-IV) classifies renal lesions in five individual groups using contrast-enhanced computer tomography (CE-CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging criteria. For complex pathologies, CEUS/MRI image fusion is a novel imaging technique for the differentiation of benign and malignant renal lesions. Compared to CE-CT and MRI alone, ultrasound image fusion offers the additional possibility of being a real-time imaging technique that can be used together with other cross-sectional imaging techniques.This article describes the newest possibilities of image fusion with CEUS and MRI in detection and characterization of unclear renal lesions.
Keywords: Renal lesions; bosniak classification; contrast-enhanced ultrasound; image fusion.