Color Doppler Ultrasonographic Findings of Vascular Leiomyoma: Pathologic Correlation

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the distribution of color flow signals on color Doppler ultrasonography of vascular leiomyomas and to correlate them with pathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed color Doppler ultrasonographic images and pathologic slides of six vascular leiomyomas. We classified the patterns of distribution of color flow signals into localized compact cluster types and non-cluster types, and the pathologic findings into three subtypes: solid, venous and cavernous. RESULTS: All cases showed well-defined homogenous hypoechoic subcutaneous masses on gray-scale ultrasonography. Three cases showed localized compact cluster types on color Doppler ultrasonography, one in each subtype (solid, venous and cavernous). For the three non-cluster types, again there was on in each subtype. In addition, on pathologic analysis the zone of the localized compact cluster of color flow signals coincided with a cluster of larger, vascular caliber masses. CONCLUSIONS: Localized compact clusters of color flow signals on color Doppler ultrasonography were seen in 50% of our cases and correlated with a cluster of larger vascular caliber in the mass. But the pattern of distribution of color flows didn't show a correlation with pathologic type.