Evaluation of tumor oxygenation by color duplex sonography: a new approach.
OBJECTIVE
Description of a new noninvasive method for the evaluation of tissue oxygenation in head and neck cancer.


METHODS
Prospective nonrandomized controlled study in an academic medical center on 20 patients with neck metastases of head and neck cancer. Metastases were investigated using color duplex sonography and pO2 histography. The vascularization in sonography was quantitatively evaluated by color pixel density and compared to the pO2 values of the same nodes.


RESULTS
The correlation between vascularization and flow velocity was 0.71. For the mean/median pO2 -values and for the pO2 readings <10.0 mmHg correlations were r = 0.65 / 0.76 and 0.71.


CONCLUSIONS
This sonographic method allows a safe and reliable evaluation of oxygenation in metastases of head and neck cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
The new approach is an alternative to pO2 histography and may play a future role in the planning of radiotherapy in the neck.
Di Martino
Ercole F N
EF
Departments of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Plastic Head and Neck Surgery, Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany. edimartino@ykaachen.de
Gagel
Bernd
B
Schramm
Oliver
O
Maneschi
Payam
P
Westhofen
Martin
M
D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex
D010100:Oxygen