IMPLEMENTATION OF DOPPLER ULTRASOUND FOR THERAPY CONTROL OF BREAST MALIGNANCIES TREATED WITH CHEMOTHERAPY

Background: Doppler is used with increasing frequency for differentiat ion of breast lesions. Breast malignancies are characterized by increa sed vascularity which is associated with increased metabolic and proli ferative tissue activity. This increase in vascularity is seldomly see n in benign processes. The extent of the vascularization can be measur ed with high-frequency Doppler instruments. Materials and Methods: We used an 8-MHz continuous-wave (CW) Doppler pencil probe to evaluate tu mor blood flow. This method provides a more exact quantitative therapy control than the commonly used clinical breast examinations. In the f ollowing case study the diagnostic methods and results are described. A patient with an extensive primary breast carcinoma stage T4 (TNM cla ssification) underwent FEC chemotherapy. The tumor vascularity was mea sured before and after each treatment cycle. Results: After three cycl es, the tumor was estimated to have decreased by 40% when measured by palpation. The diameter reduction when measured with ultrasound was 43 %. The tumor vascularity when measured by CW Doppler had decreased by 56%. The tumor reduction was also confirmed histopathologically. Concl usions: Flow assessment with CW Doppler has proved to be a noninvasive and sensitive method for measuring the therapeutic effectiveness of c hemotherapy.