[Pancreatic metastases of renal cell carcinomas - evaluation of the contrast behavior at echo-enhanced power-Doppler sonography in comparison to primary pancreatic tumors].
BACKGROUND
Renal cell carcinomas are the most common primary tumors leading to pancreatic metastases. The differentiation of metastases from primary pancreatic tumors is important for the prognosis. Echo-enhanced power-Doppler sonography may be used for the differential diagnosis of tumors. In this study, the contrast behavior of metastases of renal cell carcinomas was evaluated in comparison to primary pancreatic tumors.


METHODS
Each 5 patients with pancreatic metastases of a renal cell carcinoma, a ductal carcinoma, a neuroendocrine tumor and a pancreatitis-associated mass were investigated by B-mode sonography, fundamental and echo-enhanced power-Doppler sonography.


RESULTS
Similar to neuroendocrine tumors, metastases of renal cell carcinomas were found to be hypervascularized. In contrast, ductal carcinomas are hypovascularized compared to the surrounding tissue. Tumors associated with pancreatitis show different vascularization pattern depending on inflammation and necrosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Metastases of renal cell carcinomas and ductal carcinomas show different vascularization pattern at echo-enhanced power-Doppler sonography. Renal cell metastases and neuroendocrine tumors have similar contrast behaviors, therefore, clinical symptoms should be referred for their differentiation. However, histology is the standard of reference for the differential diagnosis of pancreatic tumors.
Rickes
S
S
Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Endokrinologie, Berlin, Germany. steffen.rickes@charite.de
Flath
B
B
Unkrodt
K
K
Ocran
K
K
Neye
H
H
Lochs
H
H
Wermke
W
W
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color