Gray scale and color Doppler ultrasonography findings in the diagnosis of prostate cancer

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between tumoral malignancy potentials and transrectal gray scale ultrasonographic findings in prostate cancer and to investigate the contribution of transrectal color Doppler ultrasonography to the diagnosis. Material and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 63 patients with prostate cancer who underwent transrectal associated biopsy in our study. In all patients, gray scale ultrasonography, color Doppler ultrasonography findings, serum PSA levels, pathology results were compared and the relationship between them was investigated. Results: While moderately differentiated tumors were more hypoecogenic (69%), poorly differentiated tumors were observed to be mixed echogenicity (58%). All of the isoecogenic tumors were in the good or moderate differentiation group. In 11 (17%) of 65 cancer centers, no blood flow was detected in Doppler US (grade 0). Eight (12%) of 65 patients had first degree blood flow, while 46 (71%) had second degree blood flow. It was determined that the PSA values significantly increased as the degree of vascularization of the lesions increased. Significant correlations were also found between the Gleason scores of the tumors and the blood flow grade. All lesions with no evidence of color Doppler ultrasonography are found in the good or moderately differentiated cancer group. On the other hand, the majority (98%) of the cancers in which significant blood flow is detected are found in the moderate or poorly differentiated group. Conclusion: There was no additional contribution of color Doppler ultrasonography to gray scale ultrasonography in detecting prostate cancer. However, it has been observed that the gray scale ultrasonography contributes to the manifestation of suspicious lesions. Significant links between cancer blood levels and Gleason scores were noted. Accordingly, it has been observed that cancers that show significant blood flow with color Doppler ultrasonography have higher malignancy than cancers that do not have blood or minimal blood supply