Color Doppler Sonography of Morphologically Malignant Adnexal Masses

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the role of color Doppler sonography in differentiating malignant frombenign adnexal masses. Thirty-one morphologically malignant adnexal masses were evaluated with color Dopplersonography. The pulsatility index(PI), resistance index (RI), peak systolic velocity(PSV), and vessel locationwere recorded. Malignant criteria were PI<1, RI<0.5, PSV>0.4m/sec and vessel location in center, septum orpapillary projection of the mass. The results of color Doppler sonography were compared with histopathologicresults. Eight masses were malignant and 23 masses were benign. Mean PI was 0.505+0.158 in malignant masses and1.439+1.265 in benign ones. Mean RI was 0.399+0.091 in malignant masses and 0.569+0.169 in benign ones. Mean PSVwas 0.338m/sec+0.164m/sec in malignant masses and 0.231m/sec+0.108m/sec in benign ones. The sensitivities of colorDoppler sonography in differentiating malignant from benign masses using PI<1.0 and vessel location as criteriawere 100%, while the specificities were 34.8% and 39.1%. Both the sensitivities and the specificities of thecriteria, RI<0.5 and PSV>0.4m/sec, were not as high. The results of this study showed that none of the fourcriteria were reliable in distinguishing malignant from benign masses, and further study is needed before thevalidity of color Doppler sonography is established. Keyword : Ultrasound(US),Doppler studies