Vascular signals from pleura-based lung lesions studied with pulsed Doppler ultrasonography

J Clin Ultrasound. 1993 Nov-Dec;21(9):617-22. doi: 10.1002/jcu.1870210908.

Abstract

Vascular signals arising from pleura-based lung lesions were studied in 50 patients using pulsed Doppler ultrasonography. Twenty-seven had malignant lesions and 23 benign lesions. In 24/27 of the malignant masses, we observed no Doppler signals: in 2 cases, a low-velocity, turbulent, pulsatile flow was demonstrated; in 1 case pulsed Doppler ultrasonography showed only a low-velocity, continuous flow. In 20/23 of the benign lesions, we found 2 types of Doppler signal waveforms: an irregularly pulsatile, venous-like signal, and a regularly pulsatile, arterial-like waveform. The last 8 patients of our series underwent color Doppler ultrasound examination, which demonstrated the presence of arterial and venous vessels in 4 benign lesions and the absence of blood flow in 4 malignant masses. To our knowledge, we report for the first time the ability of obtaining Doppler signals from a variety of lung lesions. The actual clinical relevance of this application requires further studies.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Blood Flow Velocity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung / blood supply
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung / physiopathology
  • Lung Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lung Diseases / physiopathology
  • Lung Neoplasms / blood supply
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung Neoplasms / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pleura / blood supply
  • Pleura / diagnostic imaging
  • Pneumonia / diagnostic imaging
  • Pneumonia / physiopathology
  • Pulmonary Atelectasis / diagnostic imaging
  • Pulmonary Atelectasis / physiopathology
  • Pulsatile Flow
  • Regional Blood Flow / physiology
  • Ultrasonography