title: Perfusion characteristics of parotid gland tumors evaluated by contrast-enhanced ultrasound.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CE-US) is a promising imaging modality for non-invasive analysis of parotid gland lesions because their vascularisation differs from normal gland tissue. This clinical study should further investigate CE-US as a diagnostic tool for parotid gland tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  39 patients underwent CE-US measurements after intravenous application of a contrast agent (SonoVue, Bracco, Italy) before surgical tumor resection. Time-intensity curves gradients were calculated and parameters of intratumoral microcirculation were analysed. The vascularisation parameters were compared among the different tumor entities as defined per definitive histological diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histological analyses revealed 17 pleomorphic adenoma, 15 cystadenolymphoma and 7 malignoma. A significant difference of area below intensity time curve (AUC) and mean transit time (MTT) was measured in the malignant lesions compared to benign tumors (p<0.05). A significant difference of AUC and maximum of signal increase (ΔSImax) for pleomorphic adenoma versus cystadenolymphoma was found (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CE-US seems to be a quantitative and independent method for the assessment of malign and benign parotid gland tumors. Further studies and clinical experience will have to validate this method as a reliable diagnostic tool that facilitates preoperative planning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Munich, Munich, Germany. Electronic address: Laura.Klotz@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Laura V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Klotz
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gürkov
authors.forename: Martin E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Eichhorn
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Siedek
authors.forename: Eike
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Karl-Walter
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Jauch
authors.forename: Maximilian F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Reiser
authors.forename: Dirk-Andre
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Clevert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055420:Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D010743:Phospholipids; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D010743:Phospholipids; C420843:contrast agent BR1; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride
keywords: Contrast enhanced ultrasound; Parotid gland; Pleomorphic adenoma; Salivary gland; Warthin tumor