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
Ju. Blohmer et al., 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, Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde, 55(1), 1995, pp. 1-6
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.