Tumor vascularization in cervical cancer by 3-dimensional power Doppler angiography: correlation with tumor characteristics

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether tumor vascularity as assessed by 3-dimensional power Doppler angiography (3D-PDA) correlates with some tumor features in cervical cancer.

METHODS
Clinical, sonographic, and histologic data on 56 women (mean age, 47.8 years; range, 27-81 years) with a diagnosis of carcinoma in the uterine cervix were analyzed. Tumor volume and 3D-PDA indexes (vascularization index, flow index, and vascularization flow index) were calculated in all cases. These data were correlated with some tumoral features such as histologic type, histologic grade, lymphovascular space involvement, lymph node metastases, and tumor stage.

RESULTS
Intratumoral blood flow was found in all cases. No correlation was found between tumor volume and 3D-PDA indexes with histologic type, lymphovascular space involvement, and lymph node metastases. Moderately and poorly differentiated tumors and advanced-stage tumors had larger volume and 3D-PDA indexes (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicate that tumor vascularization as assessed by 3D-PDA correlates with some tumor features in cervical cancer.

CITA DEL ARTÍCULO  Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2010 Apr;20(3):393-7