COLOR-FLOW IMAGING - A CONTRIBUTION TO PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS OF A CERVICAL TUMOR IN A 16-YEAR-OLD ADOLESCENT

A 16-year-old adolescent female who presented with vaginal bleeding wa s found to have a cervical neuroendocrine small cell carcinoma, confir med by biopsy. An ultrasonographic image was performed, prior to cervi cal biopsy, in order to assess whether pathologic changes in the uteri ne cervix could be visualized by trans-abdominal pulse Doppler probe w ith color flow, and whether their natures could be evaluated. Pulsed c olor flow velocimetry of the tumor successfully demonstrated abnormal blood flow, suggesting a possible malignant process.