Diagnosis of adnexal malignancies by using color Doppler energy imaging as a secondary test in persistent masses

The purpose of this prospective study was to compare the accuracy of B-mode transvaginal ultrasonography alone and in combination with color Doppler energy (or power Doppler) imaging in differentiating benign from malignant adnexal masses. A total of 192 consecutive persistent adnexal masses (159 benign, 33 malignant) were studied before surgery by B-mode transvaginal ultrasonography with and without color Doppler energy. In addition, CA-125 plasma levels were determined and spectral Doppler analysis was performed. By color Doppler energy imaging, a mass was considered malignant when arterial flow was visualized in an echogenic portion of a mass defined as malignant by B-mode. Intratumoral arterial blood flow could be readily detected by color Doppler energy imaging in all malignant tumors and in 94% of the benign tumors. The combined use of transvaginal B-mode ultrasonography and color Doppler energy imaging has greater accuracy in the diagnosis of ovarian malignancies than transvaginal ultrasonography alone (value of kappa: 0.81 and 0.63, respectively), reducing the number of false-positive results. The use of spectral Doppler analysis was of limited diagnostic value, with a Kappa value of 0.17 for the pulsatility index (< 1) and of 0.41 for the resistance index (< 0.4). Also, the association with CA-125 increased the number of false-negative results. In conclusion, the use of color Doppler energy imaging seems to be a useful secondary test when a mass is suspected to be malignant by B-mode ultrasonography.