title: Correlation of Doppler US tumor signals with neovascular morphologic features.
abstract: Abnormal Doppler ultrasound signals were detected in 44 of 47 patients with primary malignant tumors of the liver, kidney, adrenal gland, or pancreas (94%). Two different signal types were noted: a high-velocity signal (n = 38) with Doppler shifts exceeding 3 kHz (at an insonating frequency of 3 MHz) and a very low-impedance signal (n = 9) demonstrating little systolic-diastolic variation. In three patients, both types were present. In 19 patients, histologic (n = 12) and/or angiographic (n = 16) correlation was available. Among 13 patients with angiographic studies and signals over 3 kHz, arteriovenous shunting was demonstrated in six. The ratio of the systolic to diastolic Doppler shift is a function of vascular impedance. This systolic/diastolic index was less than 3 in eight patients with histologic correlation. All eight had prominent vascular spaces, and the flow in such thin-walled, endothelium-lined spaces would account for the low-impedance signals. Of nine patients with systolic/diastolic indexes of 3 or less and angiographic correlation, three had marked and four had moderate tumor staining.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000175:diagnosis; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography