VASCULATURE IN HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA AFTER TRANSCATHETER ARTERIAL CHEMOEMBOLIZATION - COMPARISON OF POWER AND COLOR DOPPLER SONOGRAPHY

The purpose of this study was to compare power Doppler sonography with conventional color Doppler sonography for the detection of the vascul arity of hepatocellular carcinomas after transcatheter arterial chemoe mbolization. Of the 93 embolized hepatocellular carcinomas, hypervascu larity was demonstrated in 36 on angiography; power Doppler sonography correctly identified pulsatile flow signals in 33 (92%) of these 36, whereas color Doppler sonography identified flow signals in 24 (67%). A statistically significant difference was noted when the sizes of the nodules were 30 mm or less. Despite technical difficulties, such as f lash artifact, power Doppler sonography is superior to color Doppler s onography for detection of hypervascularity, especially in small embol ized nodules of hepatocellular carcinoma (30 mm or less in diameter).