title: [Blood flow assessment with Doppler color ultrasonography in primary and secondary tumors of the liver].
abstract: Our study was aimed at measuring hemodynamic changes in liver perfusion in patients with HCC and hepatic metastases using color Doppler US, a noninvasive investigation technique. Eighty-seven patients were examined: 14 of them had HCC and 34 had metastases; the control group consisted of 39 people. Blood flow was measured in the common hepatic artery and portal vein and the ratio of hepatic arterial to total liver blood flow (HPI = hepatic perfusion index) and the ratio of hepatic arterial to portal venous blood flow (A/V ratio) were calculated. HPI and A/V values were changed in HCC patients (HPI = 0.23, range: 0.16-0.35; A/V = 0.32, range: 0.19-0.55) as a consequence of reduced portal venous blood flow (9.76 +/- 2.51 cm3/s) and of increased hepatic arterial flow (2.78 +/- 0.46 cm3/s). HPI and A/V values were significantly changed also in the patients with hepatic metastases (HPI = 0.24, range: 0.11-0.38; A/V = 0.34, range: 0.12-0.61) compared with the control group. These changes were correlated with increased hepatic arterial blood flow (3.16 +/- 1.35 cm3/s) and decreased portal venous blood flow (10.39 +/- 3.81 cm3/s). These results prove the role of color Doppler US in the study of primary liver cancer and metastases. Additional examinations are nevertheless necessary to assess the diagnostic value of color Doppler US in the early detection of and discrimination between benign and malignant tumors.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Radiologia, Università degli Studi, Bari.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Giulio
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lupo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tirelli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vinci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rotondo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Angelelli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008102:Liver Circulation; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color