Study on the correlation between contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic characteristics and microvessel density in breast cancer / 中华医学超声杂志（电子版）

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the relation of contrast-enhanced ultrasound ( CEUS ) characteristics and microvessel density ( MVD ) in the breast cancer .Methods From October 2010 to February 2012, 45 cases of patients with breast cancer were studied in Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital , Affiliated to Qingdao University Medical College .All lesions were examined by CEUS before surgery .The blood perfusion parameters such as rising time (RT),peak intensity(PI),time to peak(TTP),wash-in slope (WIS) and mean transit time ( MTT) were obtained by time-intensity curve ( TIC).Immunohistochemical staining for anti-factor CD34 was performed on surgery specimen and the MVD was evaluated .The CEUS characteristics and blood perfusion parameters between different MVD groups of breast cancer were compared.Results In 45 cases of breast cancer,mean MVD was(47.6 ±14.2)/high power field(HPD). Twenty-one cases(46.7%) were classified as high MVD group(MVD>48/HPD) and 24 cases(53.3%) were classified as lower MVD group ( MVD≤48/HPD) .Besides two cases without contrast agent perfusion in CEUS imaging, blood perfusion was observed in 43 cases (95.6%).Heterogeneous enhancement was observed in 25 cases(55.6%).Local blood perfusion defect was observed in 27 cases(60.0%).Irregular shape was observed in 37 cases(82.2%).Centripetal enhancement was observed in 25 cases(55.6%). Penetrating surrounding vessels was observed in 32 cases(71.1%).Poorly-defined margin was observed in 34 cases(75.6%).Compared with the surrounding normal breast tissue ,RT and TTP of center region of neoplasms was shorter[(9.3 ±3.3)s vs (11.1 ±3.7)s and (25.3 ±5.9)s vs (27.5 ±6.4)s],PI was higher[(12.1 ±4.6)dB vs (9.2 ±2.8)dB],WIS was higher(1.0 ±0.4 vs 0.8 ±0.3) and differences were significant(t =-3.001, -4.785,6.987 and 5.438,all P 0.05).Conclusion CEUS characteristics of breast lesions were associated with MVD ,which may reflect the microvessel distributional characteristics of neoplasm and may be one of bases used to evaluate neoplasm angiogenesis .