Role of Doppler flow imaging in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

Kim, Seok Mo; Choe, Jin; Chung, Sung Il; Choi, Ho Sun; Byun, Ji Soo

Original Article

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2000;43(2):275-280.
Published online January 1, 2001.

Role of Doppler flow imaging in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

Seok Mo Kim, Jin Choe, Sung Il Chung, Ho Sun Choi, Ji Soo Byun

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The aim was to assess the value of resistance index(RI) and pulsatility index(PI) to differentiate between benign and malignant ovarian tumors by color and pulsed Doppler ultrasound. METHODS: 129 ovarian tumors identified with ultrasound were referred for color and pulsed Doppler ultrasound evaluation to calculate the lowest RI and PI, and the corresponding histopathologic diagnosis was recorded. RESULTS: The intratumor artery waveforms were obtained in 37.1%(36 of 97) of benign tumors and in 91.0%(29 of 32) of the malignant group. RI and PI were lower in malignant tumors than in benign tumors(p<0.01). Also, there was a significant incremental decrease in both indices value from the benign tumor toward borderline malignancy(p<0.05) and to invasive ovarian cancer(p<0.01). But, there was no significant difference in both indices value according to the FIGO stage of ovarian malignancy. For RI cut-off value of 0.6, sensitivity and specificity were 89.7% and 91.7%; for PI cut-off value of 1.1, 86.2% and 91.7%. Therefore, the most accurate cut-off values of RI and PI were 0.6 and 1.1, respectively. CONCLUSION: RI and PI calculated by color and pulsed Doppler ultrasound can help in the diagnosis and selection of treatment plan of ovarian tumors, especially when the morphological finding of ovarian tumor is equivocal. And during the follow up of benign tumors, both indicies can give us the clue of malignant potential of benign tumors.

Key Words: Ovarian tumor, color and pulsed Doppler ultrasound, Resistance index(RI), Pulsatility index(PI), PI