title: Multi-planar dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound assessment of blood flow in a rabbit model of testicular torsion.
abstract: To assess correlation between multi-planar, dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (US) blood flow measurements and radiolabeled microsphere blood flow measurements, five groups of six rabbits underwent unilateral testicular torsion of 0°, 180°, 360°, 540° or 720°. Five US measurements per testis (three transverse/two longitudinal) were obtained pre-operatively and immediately and 4 and 8 h post-operatively using linear transducers (7-4 MHz/center frequency 4.5 MHz/10 rabbits; 9-3 MHz/center frequency 5.5 MHz/20 rabbits). Björck's linear least-squares method fit the rise phase of mean pixel intensity over a 7-s period for each time curve. Slope of fit and intervention/control US pixel intensity ratios were calculated. Means of transverse, longitudinal and combined transverse/longitudinal US ratios as a function of torsion degree were compared with radiolabeled microsphere ratios using Pearson's correlation coefficient, ρ. There was high correlation between the two sets of ratios (ρ ≥ 0.88, p ≤ 0.05), except for the transverse US ratio in the immediate post-operative period (ρ = 0.79, p = 0.11). These results hold promise for future clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Electronic address: harriet.paltiel@childrens.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Harriet J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Paltiel
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Carlos R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Estrada
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Ahmad I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Alomari
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stamoulis
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Carlo C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Passerotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: F Can
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Meral
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Clement
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013086:Spermatic Cord Torsion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005466:Fluorocarbons; C042852:perflutren
keywords: Blood flow; Experimental studies; Radiolabeled microspheres; Testicular torsion; Ultrasound; Ultrasound contrast