Testicular Relapse of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia: Usefulness of Color and Power Doppler Sonography

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of color and power Doppler sonography in detecting testicular relapse of leukemia. MATERIALS and METHODS:Both gray-scale and color (power) Doppler ultrasound (US) were performed in seven patients. Two additional patients examined by gray-scale US only were included. The patients were 4 - 14 years old (mean age, 9 years). Ten testes were confirmed to have leukemic relapse, eight by pathology and two by clinical evidence. RESULTS: Gray-scale US showed variable findings : heterogeneous hypoechogenicity (5) and homogeneous isoechogenicity (5). In all seven patients (8 testes) who underwent both color and power Doppler US, diffuse and marked hypervascularity was demonstrated. One case showed enlarged epididymis with heterogeneous echogenicity, which was the same character as the involved testis. CONCLUSION: Color and power Doppler US are useful methods in the identification of the testicular relapse of leukemia by demonstrating diffuse, marked hypervascularity in the proper clinical settings.