Three-dimensional power Doppler sonography of tumor vascularity.

PURPOSE: To assess the clinical value of three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler imaging of intratumoral blood flow. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), one renal cell carcinoma, one hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), and one iliac bone metastasis of HCC were used. Images were collected by power mode using the GE-Yokogawa LOGIQ 700. Power Doppler images were recorded on S-VHS videotape and fed into a workstation. Flow information was then extracted, and 3D images were constructed by surface rendering. RESULTS: Preparation of 3D images could be accomplished in one minute after feeding flow information into the workstation. Intratumoral vascular structure could be easily evaluated. This 3D imaging was useful for the differential diagnosis of hepatic tumors, especially HCC and FNH, which were confirmed in 3D imaging to have distinctly different intratumoral vascular structures. CONCLUSION: 3D imaging of intratumoral blood flow was possible by 3D processing of the power Doppler images. 3D power Doppler imaging is expected to be helpful for the differential diagnosis of tumors.