Tumor invasion of the vessels displays both therapeutic and prognostic implications and represents a challenge for head and neck surgeons. Although previous research has shown that ultrasound can detect such invasions, accurate sonographic parameters to do so have not yet been established. We sought to determine sonographic criteria which are able to characterize these invasions. A high-resolution transducer was used to perform ultrasound examinations of 15 patients selected from a group with inconclusive radiography and computed tomography diagnosis. We found that encasement of the vessel, tumor immobility or fixation in the vessel wall, and narrowing and/or deformity of the lumen were the best criteria. Indeed, when loss of hyperechoic interface of the vessel wall was used as a single criterion it generated false positive results. This study shows that a combination of parameters can be used to provide the best sensitivity and specificity values to produce conclusive diagnosis of vessel invasion by tumors in the cervical region.
dog; tumors; ultrasonography; vessel invasion; carotid artery
