Preliminary results of power Doppler imaging in benign prostatic hyperplasia

Power Doppler imaging was performed in 77 patients with lower urinary tract symptoms to characterize Doppler blood-flow signals in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Pulsatile blood flows were detected in all patients, demonstrating a significant increase of the resistive index (RI) in BPH cases (n = 40, 0.72 +/- 0.05, p < 0.0001), compared to those with a healthy prostate (n = 37, 0.64 +/- 0.04). Of 40 patients with BPH, 28 (70%) had an RI of 0.70 or higher; all but 1 patient with a healthy prostate (1 of 37, 3%) had an RI lower than 0.70 (p < 0.0001). In all 10 patients with BPH, the elevated RI decreased significantly to a normal control level after surgical treatment (0.72 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.64 +/- 0.05, p < 0.001). In conclusion, Doppler RI might be useful as a new urodynamic parameter in BPH.