[3D power Doppler ultrasound: new possibilities in the diagnosis and documentation of tumors of the base of the tongue].
BACKGROUND
To evaluate a novel 3-D power Doppler ultrasound technique (3-D PDUS) in the diagnosis and documentation of tumors of the base of the tongue.


METHODS
Twenty patients with tumors of the base of the tongue (2T1, 6T2, 6T3, and 6T4 carcinomas) prospectively underwent two-dimensional gray scale and power Doppler ultrasound and 3-D PDUS (3-Scape). All examinations were performed with a 7.5 MHz transducer and the Sonoline Elegra Advanced. Two independent observers compared the examinations regarding clear tumor margins, maximal diameter of the tumor, midline crossing, infiltration of the mylohyoid muscle, infrahyoidal tumor, contact to the lingual artery, vascularization in the tumor and in surrounding tissue, and evaluated the documentary use of the 3-D reconstruction.


RESULTS
All relevant pretreatment parameters were accessible in the 3-D data; results of both observers were almost identical. An acquisition and reconstruction of the 3-D data takes only a couple of minutes. In addition to two-dimensional ultrasound 3-D PDUS allows reconstruction of axial images of the base of the tongue similar to CT images and a 3-D visualization of tumor vascularization.


CONCLUSIONS
3-Scape is a novel user-friendly method that allows uninterrupted acquisition of large 3-D volumes, and digital storage and transmission of ultrasound studies without loss of information. US images can be reconstructed in any desired plane or visualized in 3-D. In the future, additional software will permit exact determination of the volume and degree of vascularization of tumors.
Keberle
M
M
Institut für Röntgendiagnostik, Universität Würzburg. marc.keberle@mail.uni-wuerzburg.de
Jenett
M
M
Scharfenberger
M
M
Hahn
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler