[Elastographic visualization of soft tissue tumors and its role in the diagnostic process]

A total of 110 patients with malignant (n=54, 49,1%), intermediate (n=24, 21.8%) or benign (n=31, 28.2%) soft tissue tumors were included in the study aimed to determine the soft tissue tumor elastographic picture and the overall role of elastographic visualization in soft-tissue tumor diagnostics. All the patients underwent grey-scale real-time elastography, colored Doppler mapping, energy Doppler mapping and ultrasonic elastography. The ultrasonic elastography included the quality assay of tissue color mapping and tissue stiffness index assay. All the tests were performed with Hitachi HI Vision 900 US scanner with 5-13 MHz US-sensors. In soft tissue tumors the elastography had 97% sensitivity equal to grey-scale US-scan sensitivity. Based on the results of the study, the elastography doesn't lead to any benefits as a stand-alone diagnostic technique. In most cases it doesn't lend any additional value compared to grey-scale US-scan. The only exceptions are the low-grade lyposarcomas, diffuse lypomas and fibrolypomas and desmoids. Nevertheless, elastography is still a useful method in surgical treatment planning as it allows to pinpoint the exact amount of involved tissues more effective than grey-scale US-scan techniques.