Hemodynamic study of skin masses using contrast-enhanced color Doppler ultrasonography

We evaluated the usefulness of contrast-enhanced color Doppler imaging for diagnosis of masses of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. Nineteen patients with 22 masses of the skin and subcutaneous tissue were scanned by contrast-enhanced color Doppler imaging after an intravenous bolus injection of the contrast agent Levovist. Intralesional blood flow was detected during the unenhanced color Doppler sonography in 4 of 12 benign masses and 7 of 10 malignant masses. After Levovist injection, that was not increased in benign masses. One the other hand, strong flow signals was detected in all malignant masses. The range of the pulsatility index values of malignant masses was higher than those of benign masses. Also the range of the resistive index values of malignant masses was higher than that of benign masses. Contrast-enhanced color Doppler sonography can be helpful in the differentiation between malignant skin masses and benign ones.