Contrast-Enhanced Color Doppler US in Breast Cancer: Tumoral Vascularity Correlated with Angiogenesis.

Kim,  Eun A; Yoon,  Kwon Ha; Yun,  Ki Jung; Lee,  Kwang Man; Park,  Ki Han; Juhng,  Seon Kwan; Won,  Jong Jin

Journal of Korean Society of Medical Ultrasound 2000;19(4): 311-318.

Eun A Kim, Kwon Ha Yoon, Ki Jung Yun, Kwang Man Lee, Ki Han Park, Seon Kwan Juhng, Jong Jin Won

¹Department of Radiology, Wonkwang University School of Medicine.
²Department of Pathology, Wonkwang University School of Medicine.
³Department of General Surgery, Wonkwang University School of Medicine.

Published online: January 1, 2001.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of contrast-enhanced color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) on the depiction of vascularity and flow pattern in breast cancer and to determine the relationship between tumoral vascularity and angiogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one patients with breast cancer were prospectively evaluated with CDUS before and after injection of the contrast agent (SH U 508A, 2.5g, 300mg/ml). The tumoral vascularity was expressed as percentage of color Doppler area, which was measured quantitatively by a computerized program (Ultrasonic Imaging Tool; Soongsil University, Seoul, Korea). The flow pattern (four-patterns; spotty, linear, branching, marginal) of the vascularity was analyzed. After surgery, tumor angiogenesis was assessed by microvessel den-sity. The relationship between the vascularity on CDUS and microvessel density was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: At unenhanced CDUS, tumoral flow signals were detected in 12 lesions (48%); at contrast-enhanced CDUS, 18 lesions (86%). All These 18 lesions showed increased signals, compared with those at unenhanced CDUS. The percentage color Doppler area was 1.86 +/- 0.48% at unenhanced CDUS and 5.23 +/- 1.18% at con-trast- enhanced CDUS. The flow patterns before contrast injection were spotty pattern in 11 tumors and linear pattern in one; after contrast injection, spotty in 8, linear in 4, branching in 5, and marginal in one. The tumoral vascularity at contrast-enhanced CDUS showed no significant correlation with microvessel density. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced CDUS seems to be a valuable tool in the depiction of vascularity and characteri-zation of flow pattern in breast cancer. However, tumoral vascularity on CDUS may not reflect tumoral angio-genesis.

Keywords: Breast, US; Breast neoplasms; Breast neoplasms, US