DOPPLER VELOCITY HISTOGRAM ANALYSIS OF HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA

To study the characteristics of tumor blood flow, flow profiles from h epatocellular carcinomas (39 profiles) and normal hepatic arteries (23 profiles) were evaluated using velocity histograms obtained with Dopp ler ultrasound. The histograms were classified into three types: (1) h igh-peak, (2) flat, and (3) low-peak. Characteristically, the low-peak types and the flat types, with flows in opposing directions, were see n only in the tumor vessels. The turbulence in a phantom flow model wa s of the low-peak type. Spectral analysis revealed that the velocity p rofile of tumor blood flow was different from that of noncancerous flo w and that tumor blood flow was characterized by turbulence. (C) 1995 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.