Abstract
Ultrasound color Doppler flow mapping image (CFMI) equipment, SSA-270A (Toshiba Co.) was used to quantitatively measure liver tumor blood flow. Its clinical utility was evaluated in 89 patients with liver tumors, including 28 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 39 metastatic liver tumors, 20 hepatic hemangiomas and 2 cholangiocellular carcinomas. Blood flow inside the tumor was detected by CFMI and analyzed by pulsed Doppler method. Tumor blood flow was detected in 71.4% of HCCs, 59.0% of metastatic liver tumors, 5.0% of hepatic hemangiomas and 100% of cholangiocellular carcinomas. There were no differences between the Doppler signal waveform patterns of the HCC and metastatic liver tumors, but in tumors over 5 cm in diameter, the maximum blood flow velocity of metastatic liver tumors was higher than that in HCCs', or any tumor less than 5 cm in diameter. The resistance index of HCCs was lower than that of metastatic liver tumors. We concluded that CFMI and analysis by pulsed Doppler method are useful in differential diagnosis of liver tumors.
