Contrast-enhanced power Doppler sonography: assessment of revascularization flow in Legg-Calvé-Perthes' disease.
A total of 26 children (26 affected, 25 control hips) with Legg-Calvé-Perthes' disease (LCP) met the cooperation requirements for inclusion in the study using contrast-enhanced power Doppler sonography for assessment of changes in the revascularization flow. Sagittal sonograms were obtained before and at the peak effect of an intravenously injected microbubble-based contrast agent. Overall mean peak enhancement ratios were greater for children with later onset of disease (>5.8 years old) than for those with earlier onset (< or = 5.8) (p = 0.02). The use of ultrasound (US) contrast agents improved depiction of proximal femoral vascularity in all regions of the femoral head: epiphysis (n = 3, pre; n = 8, postcontrast), physis (n = 12, pre; n = 21, postcontrast) and metaphysis (n = 6, pre; n = 8, postcontrast) and resulted in a marked increase in the number of mean pixel intensity values within the physis (p = 0.02). In conclusion, contrast-enhanced power Doppler sonography is an effective method for demonstration of changes from the revascularization process in LCP, particularly within the physis.
Doria
Andrea S
AS
Department of Diagnostic Imaging of Heart Institute-InCor, University of São Paulo, Brazil. andrea.doria@sickkids.ca
Guarniero
Roberto
R
Cunha
Fabiano G
FG
Modena
Marcelo
M
De Godoy
Rui M
RM
Luzo
Carlos
C
Neto
Raul Boelliger
RB
Molnar
Laszlo J
LJ
Cerri
Giovanni G
GG
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005270:Femur Head / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007873:Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008863:Microspheres; D015588:Observer Variation; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media