Power Doppler Ultrasonography of the Feeding Arteries of the Prostate Gland

• Published in: Journal of ultrasound in medicine Vol. 26; no. 7; pp. 875 - 883
• Main Authors: Turgut, Ahmet Tuncay, Ölçücüoğlu, Esin, Koşar, Pinar, Geyik, Pinar Özdemir, Koşar, Uğur, Dogra, Vikram
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine 01-07-2007
• Subjects: prostate; prostatic neoplasms; transrectal color Doppler ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0278-4297; 1550-9613
• DOI: 10.7863/jum.2007.26.7.875

Objective
The purpose of this study was to assess the role of spectral Doppler ultrasonographic parameters of the feeding arteries of the prostate for the detection of prostate cancer.
Methods
A total of 55 patients referred for prostate biopsy with a mean age of 66.4 years (range, 46–82 years) were included. In each patient, Doppler indices from bilateral capsular and urethral arteries were obtained. The indices were compared with regard to malignant (group A) and benign (group B) subgroups of histopathologic outcomes of transrectal ultrasonographically guided prostate biopsy for each side (n = 19 and n = 91 for groups A and B, respectively) and to assess whether the indices were significantly altered on the side with cancer compared with the contralateral side.
Results
The mean pulsatility index value for the capsular artery of group A (1.49 ± 0.57) was significantly lower than that of group B (1.71 ± 0.52; P = .048). The mean resistive index and systolic/diastolic ratio for the capsular artery of group A (0.78 ± 0.10 and 5.40 ± 2.74, respectively) were lower than those of group B (0.82 ± 0.08 and 7.40 ± 4.91) despite being statistically insignificant (P = .075 and .119, respectively).
Conclusions
Spectral waveform measurements by power Doppler transrectal ultrasonography may be useful in differentiating prostate cancer from benign hypertrophy. Further research is needed to elucidate the potential of spectral Doppler indices of the capsular and urethral arteries.