Signal from hepatic hemangiomas on power Doppler US: Real or artefactual?

To describe imaging findings of hepatic hemangiomas on power Doppler (PD) u ltrasound (US) with revised Doppler parameters for preventing PD artefacts from stationary hyperechoic tissue, we prospectively evaluated 48 hemangiom as by PD US,vith predetermined PD settings to prevent artefactual signals f rom stationary hyperechoic tissue (pulse repetition frequency of 1000 Hz, m edium wall filter, and PD gain of 60-85%). Intratumoral PD signals were not seen in 32 lesions (67%). Minimal (n = 15) or moderate (n = 1) intratumora l PD signals were seen in 16 lesions (33 %) and were distributed in the per ipheral portion only in 12 lesions (75%) sind in the peripheral and central portion in 4 lesions (25%). Due to the lack of sensitivity of PD to detect slow flow in hemangiomas, PD US should no longer be used for the evaluatio n of echogenic liver masses caused by hemangiomas from other hypovascular m alignant lesions of the liver. (C) 1999 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology.