The properties of intratumoral blood flow as a possible prognostic index in uveal melanoma: A study using color Doppler imaging

This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between the histologic and hemodynamic characteristics of uveal melanoma blood vessels and to analyze their correlation with the prognosis. Eight uveal melanomas underwent color Doppler imaging (CDI) examination. Color Doppler ultrasound allows the detection of blood flow at specific locations, which are identified by simultaneous B-scan imaging; a noninvasive diagnostic tool. After enucleation, tumor vessels are studied by immunohistochemistry. The authors found statistically significant differences in CDI readings in different tumor histotypes (P <0.05). For example, the systolic peak velocity, the diastolic peak velocity were lower in the epithelioid cell type of melanomas than in the spindel cell type. A histologic explanation can be given for the CDI data: The vascular patterns of the epithelioid cell type of melanomas are different than those of the spindle cell type. The results demonstrate that CDI of uveal melanoma could provide helpful suggestions on its prognosis.