Ultrasound Imaging: Current Status and Future Perspectives

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Imaging and Theranostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 860

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department Allgemeine Innere Medizin (DAIM), Kliniken Hirslanden Beau Site, Salem und Permanence, Bern, Switzerland
Interests: ultrasound; endoscopy; endoscopic ultrasound

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ultrasound imaging is currently undergoing a profound transformation. Advances in artificial intelligence, deep learning, quantitative and multiparametric ultrasound, automation, and robotics are fundamentally reshaping image acquisition, interpretation, reporting, and clinical decision-making. At the same time, increasing demands for standardization, reproducibility, examiner-independent workflows, and scalable solutions are driving innovation across clinical, educational, and industrial domains. 

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive and forward-looking overview of the current state of ultrasound imaging and its future directions. We seek to bring together high-quality contributions from leading experts that address both established applications and emerging concepts, bridging technical innovation with clinical relevance. 

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Artificial intelligence and deep learning in ultrasound acquisition, interpretation, and reporting;
  • Quantitative and multiparametric ultrasound (e.g., elastography, CEUS, fat quantification, radiomics/ultrasomics);
  • Standardization of terminology, protocols, and reporting;
  • Automation, AI-guided and robotic ultrasound systems;
  • Examiner dependency;
  • Daylight ultrasound and human–machine interaction;
  • Point-of-care ultrasound, miniaturization, and new clinical workflows;
  • Integration of ultrasound into longitudinal monitoring, screening, and decision-support systems;
  • Psychological and patient-centered aspects of ultrasound practice (e.g., sonopsychology). 

We welcome original research articles, state-of-the-art reviews, and perspective papers that provide critical insights into current developments and future challenges in ultrasound imaging.

Given your expertise and contributions to the field, we would be honored if you would consider submitting a manuscript to this Special Issue. We believe that your perspective would be of great interest to the international ultrasound community.

Further details regarding submission guidelines and timelines will be provided upon your expression of interest. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or would like to discuss a potential contribution.

We very much hope you will join us in shaping this Special Issue and contributing to an inspiring overview of the future of ultrasound imaging.

Prof. Dr. Christoph Frank Dietrich
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • elastography
  • CEUS
  • fat quantification
  • radiomics/ultrasomics
  • point-of-care ultrasound

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

20 pages, 26161 KB  
Review
Necrotizing (Abscessing) Lymphadenopathy and the Diagnostic Value of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS): A Review with Clinical Vignettes
by Christian Görg, Yi Dong, Görg Friedemann, Christian Jenssen, Michael Kallenbach, Kathleen Möller, Findeisen Hajo, Nitin Chaubal and Christoph Frank Dietrich
Diagnostics 2026, 16(6), 888; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16060888 - 17 Mar 2026
Viewed by 649
Abstract
Necrotizing (abscessing) lymphadenopathy is a clinically relevant condition with a broad differential diagnosis, including acute bacterial infections, mycobacterial disease, zoonoses, fungal and parasitic infections, autoimmune disorders, and malignancies with central necrosis. Early and reliable differentiation between these causes is important to avoid misdiagnosis [...] Read more.
Necrotizing (abscessing) lymphadenopathy is a clinically relevant condition with a broad differential diagnosis, including acute bacterial infections, mycobacterial disease, zoonoses, fungal and parasitic infections, autoimmune disorders, and malignancies with central necrosis. Early and reliable differentiation between these causes is important to avoid misdiagnosis and to guide appropriate therapy. This review summarizes the pathophysiological mechanisms, typical imaging features, and diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in necrotizing lymphadenopathy. Representative clinical vignettes illustrate the disease spectrum and correlate CEUS patterns with underlying pathology. The literature review was narrative and based on targeted searches of PubMed/MEDLINE and Google Scholar focusing on CEUS in necrotizing lymphadenopathy. A brief literature overview highlights current evidence, limitations, and research gaps. Conventional B-mode ultrasound (BMUS) and Doppler typically demonstrate enlarged hypoechoic or heterogeneous nodes with reduced central vascularity but lack specificity for necrosis. CEUS provides real-time visualization of nodal microvascular perfusion, which may support clearer differentiation between viable tissue and necrotic or abscess cavities. Common but non-specific CEUS patterns include central non-enhancement with a peripheral hyperemic rim in abscesses, irregular avascular cores in tuberculous lymphadenopathy, patchy non-enhancing areas in autoimmune conditions, and heterogeneous enhancement with ill-defined necrosis in malignant nodes. CEUS can support biopsy targeting, facilitate drainage procedures, and enable radiation-free follow-up. CEUS may offer diagnostic and interventional advantages in the evaluation of necrotizing lymphadenopathy, offering more consistent characterization of nodal necrosis compared with conventional sonography. While most evidence focuses on tuberculosis and malignancy, growing experience with zoonotic and autoimmune diseases suggests broader utility. Most currently available evidence derives from observational studies and small case series, highlighting the need for prospective multicenter validation. Standardization of CEUS criteria, integration into multiparametric ultrasound protocols, and multicenter validation are needed to establish CEUS as a routine component in the diagnostic work-up of necrotizing lymphadenopathy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ultrasound Imaging: Current Status and Future Perspectives)
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