Doppler tissue perfusion measurement is a sensitive and specific tool for a differentiation between malignant and inflammatory pancreatic tumors

Differentiation between pancreatic malignant and inflammatory tumors presents an important diagnostic problem. The ability to recognize pancreatic malignant tumors using Doppler evaluation of tissue perfusion has been recently demonstrated. The aim of the study was to assess the diagnostic value of Dynamic Tissue Perfusion Measurement (DTPM) in the differentiation between malignant and inflammatory pancreatic tumors. The study included 60 patients (35M, 25F, age 60.9 ± 2.3 years) with a malignant (Group 1, n = 30) or inflammatory (Group 2, n = 30) pancreatic tumor undergoing endoscopic ultrasound with the evaluation of tissue perfusion by Color Doppler and a simultaneous biopsy of lesions for cytological evaluation. In 20 patients the diagnosis was verified in the postoperative histopathological examination. Flow velocity (FV) and percentiles of the distribution of perfusion intensity (PR) evaluated by DTPM were analyzed with regard to receiver-operator-characteristics. FV as well as PR were significantly higher in Group 2 compared to Group 1. A threshold of 2.0 cm/sec for FV identified patients with malignancies with a sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 86%. In multivariable regression analysis, the best PR parameter for differentiating between malignant and inflammatory tumors was 97.5% percentile, whose value of 0.922 allowed for the recognition of pancreatic malignant tumors with a sensitivity of 62% and specificity of 83% (p < 0.001). In conclusion, Color Doppler ultrasound tissue perfusion parameters are a sensitive and specific tool in the differentiation between malignant and inflammatory pancreatic tumors.