Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 19, Issue 9 593-600, Copyright © 2000 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Power Doppler sonography of breast masses: correlation of Doppler spectral parameters with tumor angiogenesis and histologic growth pattern
M. Tozaki, M. Toi, Y. Miyamoto and K. Fukuda
Department of Radiology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between spectral
analysis on power Doppler sonography and microvessel density. Power Doppler
sonography was performed in 71 patients with breast masses (36 invasive
carcinomas and 35 benign lesions). Microvessel density was measured in
surgical specimens from all breast carcinomas using anti-factor
VIII-related antibody. Invasive carcinomas were divided into two groups
according to their growth pattern (solid type, scirrhous type). The
pulsatility index and resistive index were high in malignant tumors
compared with those in benign lesions (P ë 0.001). The maximum velocity had
weak statistical significance (P < 0.05). Although the correlation of
maximum velocity with microvessel density was strong in solid tumors (P
< 0.001), the maximum intensity in scirrhous tumors had no correlation
with microvessel density. In conclusion, solid tumors showed a tendency
toward correlation of maximum velocity with microvessel density. High
maximum velocity with high microvessel density suggests breast carcinoma
and could be predictive of a poor prognosis in invasive breast carcinoma.
