title: Correlation between color power Doppler sonographic measurement of breast tumor vasculature and immunohistochemical analysis of microvessel density for the quantitation of angiogenesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To record the correlation between color power Doppler sonographic measurement of breast tumor vasculature and immunohistochemical analysis of microvessel density for the quantitation of angiogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with palpable breast masses scheduled for excision biopsy were scanned with two- and three-dimensional color power Doppler sonography before and after the administration of a sonographic contrast agent. Vessel counts were performed on two- and three-dimensional sonographic images before and after contrast agent administration. All tumors were surgically removed and underwent immunohistochemical analysis for microvessel density assessment. The sonographic measure of tumor vascularity was correlated with microvessel density.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pathologic examination showed 43 breast cancers and 14 benign breast masses. Higher microvessel density was noted in malignant than benign breast masses (P < .0005). Color power Doppler sonographic measurement of tumor vessel number showed a significant positive correlation with tumor size (P < .05) and progesterone receptor negativity (P < .05). A significant positive correlation was observed between microvessel density and the number of intratumoral blood vessels assessed by both two- and three-dimensional color power Doppler sonography (P < .05). Regression models showed three-dimensional color power Doppler sonography to have a significantly higher correlation with microvessel density when compared with two-dimensional color power Doppler sonography at baseline (P < .005). The administration of a sonographic contrast agent did not improve correlation with microvessel density.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant correlation was shown between color power Doppler sonographic measurement of tumor vascularity and microvessel density by immunohistochemical analysis. Further improvement in Doppler sonographic techniques to map capillary vessel flow should be explored to improve the current association with pathologic findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Organ Imaging, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories.
authors.forename: Wei Tse
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Gary M K
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.forename: Peggo K W
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Constantine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Metreweli
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media