DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS OF MAMMARY-TUMORS BY MEANS OF A COMPARISON OF THE TUMORAL BREAST WITH THE CONTRALATERAL BREAST VIA COLOR AND PULSED-WAVE DOPPLER SONOGRAPHY

74 breast tumor patients were preoperatively examined by means of colo ur and pulsed-wave Doppler sonography using the ultrasonic instrument ATL Ultramark 9 HDI with a broad-band linear scanner, 5-10 MHz. The Do ppler flow velocity waveforms, from the vessels of the mammary lesion (affected breast) and the corresponding quadrant of the contralateral breast (non-affected breast), respectively, were compared in respect o f the four parameters maximal systolic velocity, minimal diastolic vel ocity, pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI). In 48 cases w e succeded in representing arterial vessels both inside the affected a nd the contralateral breast. The aim of the study was to examine wheth er these parameters show a significantly different degree of deviation in correlation with the tumours being either benign or malign. In cas es with benign lesions (n = 24) we did not find any significant differ ences in all the parameters that we examined. In cases with cancer, ho wever (n = 18), a significantly higher systolic velocity was found in the affected breast compared to the contralateral breast, but there we re no differences in the other parameters. Although the quantitative D oppler measurements are angle-dependent parameters, the study showed t hat the maximal velocity in the affected breast compared to the contra lateral breast is the most useful parameter in differential diagnosis of breast tumours.