Ces radiol. 2009, 63(4):322-326

What are possibilities of Doppler ultrasonography in prehistological diagnostics of major salivary glands?Original article

Pavel Štrymp¹, Michal Kodaj², Pavel Komínek¹

¹ Otorinolaryngologická klinika FN, Ostrava

² Ústav radiodiagnostiky FN, Ostrava

Aim: The aims of the presented study was to evaluate possibility of color-Doppler ultrasound in prehistological determination of biological features of salivary gland tumors. These information are necessary to finding the best treatment of the patients with major salivary gland tumors.

Method: Thirty-eight patients with salivary gland tumors of unknown histology were examined and operated at ENT Department of Universtity Hospital Ostrava. The pacients were examined using ultrasound imaging with colour flow Doppler. The peak systolic velocity (PSV) was measured and the pulsatility index (PI) and the resistive index (RI) calculations were performed on the pulsed wave traces. The tumors were evaluated to obtain histological results after surgical treatment. The Doppler flow information were correlated with the results of histological examination. The patients were separated into 3 groups (group with benign tumors, group with stage I. and II. tumors and group with III. and IV. stage tumors). Values of PSV, RI and PI were compared with clinical stages of tumors.

Results: Average PSV value was 22.05 cm/s in case of benign tumors and 40.4 cm/s at malignant tumors. Average RI value was 0.74 at benign and in case of malignant tumors. Average PI value of benign tumors was 1.98 and malignant tumors 2.28. There were no significant differentiations between values of PSV, RI and PI in cases of benign and malignant tumors in our study. There was significant differentiation between PSV values of bening and malignant tumours (p = 0.0595). There were no significant differentiations between average values of RI (p = 0.107) and PI (p = 0.397) in case of clinical stage of tumors. There was significant differentiation (p = 0.035) between average values of PSV in case of benign tumors (average PSV 22.05 cm/s) and tumors of clinical stage III. and IV. (average PSV 39.13 cm/s).

Conclusion: Our results failed to demonstrate significant differences in Doppler flow parameters RI and PI between benign and malignant tumors. Only PSV could be used to differentiation between benign and malignant tumors.

Keywords: color-Doppler ultrasonography, salivary glands, tumors

Accepted: September 13, 2009; Published: December 1, 2009  Show citation