DIFFUSE PROSTATIC LESIONS - ROLE OF COLOR DOPPLER AND POWER DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY

The purpose of this study was to assess the role of color Doppler ultr asonography and power Doppler ultrasonography in the identification of diffuse prostatic lesions. Forty male patients underwent gray scale t ransrectal ultrasonography, color and power Doppler sonography, and tr ansrectal ultrasonographically guided biopsy. Transrectal ultrasonogra phically guided biopsy revealed cancer in 23 patients and benign lesio ns in 17 patients. Among the prostatic cancers 82.6% (19 of 23) showed increased flow signals, whereas 23.5% (four of 17) of benign lesions showed increased flow signals on color or power Doppler ultrasonograph y. If we consider increased flow signal on color or power Doppler sono graphy as a sign of a prostate cancer in diffuse prostatic lesions, th ese modalities have a sensitivity of 82.6%, specificity of 76.5%, and positive predictive value of 82.6%. On the basis of our study, we may conclude that color and power Doppler ultrasonography are useful in th e identification of diffuse prostatic lesions.