A pilot study to evaluate the invasiveness of mandible ameloblastoma on ultrasonography / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate and demonstrate ultrasonographic characteristics of mandibular ameloblastoma with active proliferation. Methods Nineteen subjects with ameloblastomas in the mandibles were examined with ultrasonography. In addition to sizes,internal echoes,the research was focused on blood flow of the tumors and destruction of mandibles. Ultrasonographic appearances of the tumors were compared with histopathological findings. Sensitivity and specificity of Doppler flow signals and destruction of mandibles for prediction of active tumor proliferations were calculated. Results Fifteen cases (79%)showed no or minimal flow signals on color Doppler flow imaging(CDFI), whereas the remaining 4 lesions demonstrated abundant flow signals,in which 3 cases were confirmed histopathologically with active tumor proliferations. The sensitivity and specificity of the Doppler flow signals for prediction of active tumor proliferations were 100% and 94%, respectively. Fourteen cases (74%) showed the mandibular cortices were thin but continuous,among the remaining 5 lesions showed local cortices destruction,3 of them were confirmed histopathologically with active proliferations. The sensitivity and specificity of the destruction of cortical bone for prediction of active tumor proliferations were 100% and 88 %, respectively. Conclusions Ultrasonography can be used as a new effective supplementary diagnostic method for mandibular ameloblastomas. CDFI of tumor vascularity and destruction of cortical bone could be used to predict active tumor proliferations and invasiveness.