J Korean Soc Med Ultrasound.  2002 Mar;21(1):55-64.

Correlation of Contrast Enhanced Power Doppler Sonographic Findings with Histologic Microvessel Density in the Breast Mass

• Han BK
• Ko YH
• Choe YH
• Cho KS

Abstract

PURPOSE: To compare the pre-and postenhanced power Doppler sonographic (PDS) findings in malignant and be-nign breast masses and to correlate between power Doppler area (PDA) and histologic microvessel density (MVD).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Forty-seven women with breast masses (27 malignant and 20 benign) underwent PDS be-fore and after an injection of microbubble contrast agent (Levovist (r) ) for five minutes. Using computer-assisted quantification, intratumoral % PDA was calculated. Microvessel density was counted on the digitized image of slides stained with anti CD 31 monoclonal antibody. The statistical analysis was performed using t-test to determine the difference of % PDA between malignant and benign masses and between <2 cm and > or = 2 cm in size. The correlation between % PDA and MVD was investigated by Pearson's correlation test.
RESULTS
% PDA on preenhancement PDS did not show a statistically significant difference between malignant and benign breast masses (4.3% and 3.9%, p>0.3). On a 30-second post-enhancement PDS, the difference between malignant and benign masses in % PDA showed a statistical significance (28.3% and 11.0%, p<0.05), but the difference in size of masses was not statistically significant (p>0.05). MVD was well correlated with % PDA on post-enhancement PDS (r=0.69), and a stronger correlation was seen in malignant masses (r=0.71).
CONCLUSION
Contrast-enhanced PDS is superior in demonstrating the difference of vascularity between malignant and benign breast masses. % PDA after contrast-enhancement exhibited a statistically significant correlation with histologic MVD.

MeSH Terms

Breast Neoplasms
Breast*
Female
Humans
Microbubbles
Microvessels*
Ultrasonography*