The role of power Doppler sonography in the evaluation of superficial soft tissue abscesses

• Published in: European journal of ultrasound Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 101 - 106
• Main Authors: Arslan, Halil, Sakarya, M.Emin, Bozkurt, Mehmet, Ünal, Özkan, Dilek, Osman Nuri, Harman, Mustafa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.11.1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Abscess; Abscess - diagnostic imaging; Adolescent; Adult; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the eye and orbit; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Flow Velocity; Child; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Hyperemia - diagnostic imaging; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Neovascularization, Pathologic - diagnostic imaging; Power Doppler sonography; Soft tissue infection; Soft Tissue Infections - diagnostic imaging; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; Soft tissue infection; Power Doppler sonography; Abscess; Sonography; Human; Hypervascularization; Radiodiagnosis; Method; Duplex ultrasonography; Infection; Area; Medical imagery; Soft tissue; Computerized axial tomography; Diagnosis; Comparative study; Power
• ISSN: 0929-8266
• DOI: 10.1016/S0929-8266(98)00065-2

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of power Doppler ultrasonography in depicting increased vasculature and hyperemia around the superficial soft tissue abscess. Materials and methods: 21 patients with soft tissue abscess were evaluated with gray scale imaging, color Doppler sonography, power Doppler sonography and computed tomography. In each case attempts were made using power Doppler sonography to demonstrate any areas of increased vascularity around the lesion. The results were compared with computed tomographic findings. Results: Peripheral hyperemia and increased vasculature were demonstrated with power Doppler sonography in 19 of 21 patients with soft tissue abscess. The hyperemic area demonstrated around the wall of the abscess by power Doppler sonography was similar to the enhanced area shown by computed tomography performed after contrast administration. Conclusion: Power Doppler sonography shows increased vasculature and hyperemia in the wall of abscesses. Therefore, power Doppler sonography can be used to assist with the diagnosis of superficial soft tissue abscess.