ASSESSMENT OF TUMOR VASCULARITY IN HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA - COMPARISON OF POWER DOPPLER US AND COLOR DOPPLER US

PURPOSE: To compare power Doppler ultrasound (US) with conventional co lor Doppler US for the assessment of tumor vascularity in hepatocellul ar carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-one patients with 88 histologically proved HCCs were examined with power and color Doppler US according to a standardized examination protocol. Findings at Doppl er studies of each lesion were correlated with findings at digital sub traction angiography. RESULTS: Angiography revealed neovascularization or staining in 75 (85%) of 88 lesions. Intratumoral color signals wit h an arterial Doppler spectrum were detected in 69 (92%) of 75 angiogr aphically hypervascular tumors at power Doppler US and in 55 (73%) of 75 at color Doppler US (P <.01). Blood flow signals with an arterial D oppler spectrum were not detected at power or color Doppler US in any of the 13 angiographically hypovascular tumors. The small size and the deep location of the lesion significantly reduced (P <.05) the detect ion rate of blood flow signals at color Doppler US but did not affect the results of power Doppler US. CONCLUSION: Power Doppler US is super ior to conventional color Doppler imaging in the depiction of tumor va scularity in HCC.