Breast tumor vascularity identified by contrast enhanced ultrasound and pathology: initial results.
Quantifiable measures of vascularity obtained from contrast enhanced color flow images were correlated with pathologic vascularity measurements in ten female patients with a solid breast mass. Each patient received Levovist Injection (Berlex Laboratories Inc., Montville, NJ). Color flow images pre- and post-contrast were obtained using an HDI 3000 unit (ATL, Bothell, WA) before removing the mass for pathologic vascularity assessments. Image-processing techniques were used to obtain both the ultrasound and pathologic vascularity measurements. Multiple linear regression found significant correlations for ultrasonic vascularity measurements post contrast and pathology (P = 0.02 and 0.06). No correlations were found between pre-contrast ultrasound and pathology. In conclusion, post-contrast ultrasonic flow measures provide a non-invasive measure of breast tumor neovascularity. However, the patient population is small, and until further patients are analyzed, these conclusions are preliminary.
Chaudhari
M H
MH
Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Forsberg
F
F
Voodarla
A
A
Saikali
F N
FN
Goonewardene
S
S
Needleman
L
L
Finkel
G C
GC
Goldberg
B B
BB
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016014:Linear Models; D011134:Polysaccharides; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
D003287:Contrast Media; D011134:Polysaccharides; C059891:SHU 508