[Color Doppler in breast tumor pathology].

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Oncology
• Radiology

Background:

• Colour Doppler ultrasound is a non-invasive imaging technique.
• Assessing vascularity in breast lesions and lymph nodes can aid diagnosis.
• Limited data exists on Colour Doppler's utility in breast cancer follow-up and lymph node staging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the role of Colour Doppler findings in breast tumors and lymph node enlargements.
• To determine the diagnostic value of Colour Doppler in differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions.
• To assess the utility of Colour Doppler in monitoring chemotherapy response and diagnosing metastatic lymph nodes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of Colour Doppler ultrasound findings.
• Inclusion of 63 breast tumors and 19 lymph node enlargements.
• Correlation of Doppler signals with tumor characteristics and clinical outcomes.

Main Results:

• Abnormal Colour Doppler signals were detected in 68.5% of cancers, 42.8% of metastatic lymph nodes, and 10% of benign lesions.
• Bidirectional flow was observed in 80% of cases.
• Colour Doppler showed limited value in differentiating malignant from benign breast tumors but demonstrated 100% specificity for diagnosing metastatic lymph nodes.
• Partial regression of Doppler signals correlated with tumor volume reduction during chemotherapy.

Conclusions:

• Colour Doppler ultrasound is highly specific (100%) for diagnosing metastatic lymph nodes.
• It is valuable for monitoring chemotherapy response in breast cancer by assessing signal and volume regression.
• Interpretation can be challenging after conservative breast cancer treatment due to post-radiotherapy changes.