COLOR DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY OF SOFT-TISSUE MASSES

Purpose: To evaluate the capability of color Doppler ultrasonography t o differentiate between benign and malignant soft-tissue tumors. Mater ial and Methods: We reviewed the ultrasonographic (US) and color Doppl er (CD) findings in 46 consecutive patients with a palpable periskelet al mass. The presence of 3 or more vascular hila and of tortuous and i rregular internal vessels within the lesions was considered an indicat ion of malignancy. The CD diagnosis was compared with that obtained at US alone. Results: The sensitivity and specificity of CD were respect ively 85% and 92%; these values were higher than those obtained at US alone, respectively 75% and 50%. Arteriovenous malformations presented as lesions with large internal vessels that had low vascular impedanc e and were easily diagnosed. The waveform patterns within solid tumors were not specific. Conclusion: At present, US is commonly employed to confirm the presence of a suspected soft-tissue mass, to locate it ac curately, and to indicate its nature. CD findings enhance the sole of the US technique in such lesions. The combined use of US and CD can al low the differentiation of benign from malignant lesions, and thus pro vide a better basis for treatment.