title: [Color Doppler echography in the tissue characterization of renal masses].
abstract: To investigate color-Doppler US capabilities in tissue characterization, 42 renal masses were studied from November, 1993, to July, 1994. B-mode morphologic patterns were studied first and then integrated with color flow patterns; color areas and blood flow distribution were assessed for each lesion. Color signals were used as a guide to obtain arterial and venous Doppler spectra and to calculate flow velocities and pulsatility index (PI). Based on the us morphologic appearance, the 42 lesions were divided into 3 groups: A) lesions with morphologic and volumetric patterns of malignancy; B) small lesions (< 3 cm, > 3 cm < 5 cm); C) complex cysts. Data were organized and analyzed statistically; some findings were found to be typical of malignancy: hypervascularity, intralesional arterial signals with high flow velocities (systolic peak cut-off: 0.3-0.4 m/sec), high PI values (> 1) and, finally, color signals inside complex cysts. Our results suggest that color-Doppler US is a useful tool to assess renal masses vascularity, with the color-Doppler technique increasing US diagnostic accuracy. Nevertheless, small lesions need more careful study because their features are poorly demonstrated even with CT and MRI.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Radiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Policlinico A. Gemelli, Roma.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maresca
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Summaria
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: De Gaetano
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Danza
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Valentini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marano
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018207:Angiomyolipoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D052177:Kidney Diseases, Cystic / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000295:instrumentation