The role of power Doppler sonography in the evaluation of superficial soft tissue abscesses.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of power doppler ultrasonography in depicting increased vasculature and hyperemia around the superficial soft tissue abscess.


METHODS
21 patients with soft tissue abscess were evaluated with gray scale imaging, color doppler sonography, power doppler sonography and computed tomography. In each case attempts were made using power doppler sonography to demonstrate any areas of increased vascularity around the lesion. The results were compared with computed tomographic findings.


RESULTS
Peripheral hyperemia and increased vasculature were demonstrated with power doppler sonography in 19 of 21 patients with soft tissue abscess. The hyperemic area demonstrated around the wall of the abscess by power doppler sonography was similar to the enhanced area shown by computed tomography performed after contrast administration.


CONCLUSIONS
Power doppler sonography shows increased vasculature and hyperemia in the wall of abscesses. Therefore, power doppler sonography can be used to assist with the diagnosis of superficial soft tissue abscess.
Arslan
H
H
Department of Radiology, Yüzüncü Yil University, School of Medicine, Tip Fakültesi Hastanesi, 65200 Van, Turkey.
Sakarya
M E
ME
Bozkurt
M
M
Unal
O
O
Dilek
O N
ON
Harman
M
M
D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color