Ultraschall Med 2007; 28 - P_11_7
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-989095

A new way to quantify tissue perfusion with a software assisted technique of standardized dynamic color Doppler sonographic video analysis

TM Scholbach 1, J Scholbach 2
  • 1Outpatient Department of Saxonian CHI Physicians, Ultrasound, Leipzig, Germany
  • 2University of Chicago, Mathematics, Chicago, United States of America

Objective: Perfusion evaluation is crucial for many medical decisions. Existing sonographic techniques don't reflect perfused area (RI) or are invasive and demanding (contrast enhancers). We applied the novel PixelFlux-technique of dynamic tissue perfusion measurement to several clinical problems.

Method: The PixelFlux-technique measures heart cycle triggered perfused area and mean perfusion velocity of all pixels inside a region of interest and thus calculates perfusion intensity dynamically. Patients with a variety of diseases were investigated (renal, gastrointestinal, tumors).

Results: Dynamic tissue perfusion measurement goes far beyond existing methods. Pulsation of tissue flow in all vessels is simultaneoulsy recorded and analysed, the state of an organ's vascular tree is numerically described in millimeter thin slices or concentric rings, a numerical description of perfusion intensity distribution becomes possible and statistically analyzable. Tumor perfusion measurements demonstrated a significant correlation of dynamic perfusion measurement results with oxygenation, histologic activity markers of the bowel wall in ulcerative colitis correlated significantly with local perfusion, renal cortical perfusion disturbances can be demonstrated in unprecedented subtelty and precede the development of overt functional damage.

Conclusion: The PixelFlux-technique (www.chameleon-software.de) of dynamic tissue perfusion measurement is a helpful adjunct to existing sonographic techniques and adds so far unaccessible numerical flow information with relevant clinical impact.