title: The characterization of uterine tumors by transvaginal color Doppler.
abstract: The present study aimed to evaluate the possibility of using transvaginal color Doppler and spectral analysis to differentiate between malignant and benign uterine tumors. This method was performed on 308 patients with uterine tumors before gynecological surgery. The final diagnosis was made following pathological examination of the uterus. There were 291 benign and 17 malignant uterine tumors. Tumor arterial blood flow was detected in 134 (58%) patients with myoma (RI = 0.58 +/- 0.12 SD), 23 (42.6%) patients with adenomyosis (RI = 0.67 +/- 0.14), 12 (92.3%) patients with endometrial carcinoma (RI = 0.34 +/- 0.05)) three (100%) patients with uterine sarcoma (RI = 0.31 +/- 0.03) and in one case (100%) of sarcoma botryoides (RI = 0.33). Blood flow was not detected in patients with endometriotic cysts (n = 6). The comparison of RI between patients with uterine myoma and endometrial cancer showed a significantly lower RI in the cases of endometrial carcinoma (t = 13.5; p < 0.01). Our results showed that transvaginal color Doppler has potential in the non-invasive differentiation of benign and malignant uterine tumors.
authors.affiliation: Ultrasonic Institute, University of Zagreb, Yugoslavia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurjak
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zalud