Color Doppler ultrasound signals of thoracic lesions: Correlation with resected histologic specimens

Wu Huei Hsu, Junpei Ikezoe, Chih Yi Chen, Po Chung Kwan, Chung Ping Hsu, Nan Yung Hsu, Chi Der Chiang, William L. Ho

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

45 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Sixty-eight patients with thoracic lesions (48 with lung cancer and 20 with benign lesions) underwent color Doppler ultrasound (US) examinations. Of those, 21 patients (13 with lung cancer and eight with benign lesions) also received resections, and the correlation between color Doppler US signals and resected histologic specimens was evaluated. Our results showed that three patterns of color Doppler US signals could be detected and confirmed: pulsatile flow (artery), constant flow, and triphasic flow (pulmonary vein). Among the 48 patients with lung cancer, pulsatile flow, constant flow, and/or triphasic flow were detected in 34 (71%), 24 (50%), and 14 (29%), respectively. Among the 20 patients with benign lesions, only pulsatile flow and/or triphasic flow were detected in nine (45%) and eight (40%), respectively. From the correlation between color Doppler US signals and histologic specimens, constant flow was representative of the true neovascularity of lung cancers, and it was valuable for differentiating lung cancers from benign lesions (p = 0.00008, sensitivity = 0.50, and specificity = 1.0). Although color Doppler US still had some limitations in detecting blood vessels in thoracic lesions, the correlation between the vascularity represented by color Doppler US signals and histologic specimens was excellent. We conclude that color Doppler US is a valuable method for assessing blood flow in thoracic lesions and differentiating lung cancers from intrapulmonary benign lesions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1938-1951
Number of pages14
JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Volume153
Issue number6 I
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1996
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

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