Review for 10.1186/s12876-019-1113-y (2019)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Three cases of histologically proven hepatic epithelioid  hemangioendothelioma evaluated 
using a second -generation microbubble contrast medium in ultrasonography: case reports  
 
Version: 0 Date: 02 Oct 2019  
 
Reviewer: Xingshun Qi  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The au thors are reporting the use of a new ultrasound technique for the diagnosis. So all peer -
reviewers should not neglect the potential conflict of interest. Additionally, the potential bias 
should be fully reported.  
 
The authors just reported the use of this techinque in patients with a clear diagnosis of HEH, but 
not reported any cases of misdiagnosis. Additionally, simliar findings in the Sonazoid CEUS are 
also observed in other liver lesions.  
 
In order to evaluate the HEH in your affiliations without bias o f selection, the authors should 
report how many patients have been initially identified with a suspected diagnosis or undergoing 
liver biopsy in your affiliations and then diagnosed with HEH.  
 
The order of ultrasound and biopsy should be clarified. When a physician knows the biopsy 
results of HEH, the results of Sonazoid ultrasound for HEH are easily influenced. In the current 
version, I thought that biopsy was firstly done followed by ultrasound.  
 
The order of figures should be re -organized.  
 
Are the methods appropriate  and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional s tatistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Decla ration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary 
from an organisation that may in any way gain or l ose financial ly from the 
publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or 
lose financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the 
future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents  relating to the content 
of the manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization 
that holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have  no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understan d that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is ac cepted f or publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommo ns.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be in cluded as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal