Correlation between prostate cancer grade and vascularity on color doppler imaging: preliminary findings

We examined the relationship between the amount of prostate cancer-associated vascularity as seen on color Doppler imaging and the tumor grade.

Transrectal color Doppler imaging of the prostate was performed in 54 patients with prostate cancer. Color flow signal/total pixel ratios (SPRs) of selected images were calculated using the ratio of the number of pixels showing color Doppler signals to the total number of pixels within the lesion. All the patients underwent prostate biopsy guided by transrectal sonography. Gleason scores were determined from the biopsy specimens.

Color Doppler signals were demonstrated in the lesions of 91% (49/54) of the patients. The mean SPRs of prostate cancers 3 cm or smaller and larger than 3 cm were 0.15 +/- 0.07 and 0.11 +/- 0.04 (+/- standard deviation), respectively (p < 0.05). The mean SPRs of well- (Gleason score of 2-4), moderately (Gleason 5-7), and poorly (Gleason 8-10) differentiated prostate cancers were 0.08 +/- 0.03, 0.12 +/- 0.06, and 0.17 +/- 0.11, respectively (r = 0.45; p < 0.01).

The refinement of color Doppler equipment has improved the detection of color Doppler signals associated with prostate cancer. Our study shows a correlation between prostate cancer-associated vascularity as shown on color Doppler imaging and the tumor grade.