New color Doppler technique for detecting turbulent tumor blood flow: a possible aid to hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis.
We created a new imaging technique that detects and emphasizes turbulence, which is a characteristic of blood flow in hepatocellular carcinoma. We devised two indices that determine a characteristic tumor flow, the bi-directional and low-peak indices. In the phantom study, both indices of turbulence caused by a stenosis were much higher. In the clinical study, both indices were significantly higher in tumors than in the portal vein or hepatic vein. A turbulent blood flow was detected in 77% of tumors, whereas such detection seldom occurred in the portal or hepatic vein. This technique has the potential to distinguish turbulence in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Yasuhara
K
K
Department of Internal Medicine, Chiba Social Insurance Hospital, Japan.
Kimura
K
K
Nakamura
H
H
Uchibori
T
T
Hirama
M
M
D001706:Biopsy; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D018056:Hemorheology; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods