AIM: In patients undergoing apparently curative resection for colorectal cancer, an elevated Doppler Perfusion Index (DPI; ratio of hepatic arterial to total liver blood flow) before surgery is associated with a high risk of recurrence. The role of the primary tumour in inducing and sustaining these blood flow changes is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of removing the primary tumour on the DPI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using duplex/colour Doppler sonography, the DPI was measured both before and after surgery (median, 9 months) in 14 patients undergoing apparently curative resection for colorectal cancer. RESULTS: In the five patients with a normal pre-operative DPI (< 0.30), there was no significant change following surgery. In the nine patients with an abnormal pre-operative DPI, there was a small but significant fall from 0.38 (SEM 0.02) to 0.33 (0.02) following surgery (P = 0.04). However, DPI values remained abnormally elevated in seven of these nine patients. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the primary tumour plays a relatively minor role in inducing an abnormally elevated DPI in patients undergoing apparently curative resection for colorectal cancer.Oppo, K. (2000). Clinical Radiology55, 791-793. Copyright 2000 The Royal College of Radiologists.
AIM: In patients undergoing apparently curative resection for colorectal cancer, an elevated Doppler Perfusion Index (DPI; ratio of hepatic arterial to total liver blood flow) before surgery is associated with a high risk of recurrence. The role of the primary tumour in inducing and sustaining these blood flow changes is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of removing the primary tumour on the DPI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using duplex/colour Doppler sonography, the DPI was measured both before and after surgery (median, 9 months) in 14 patients undergoing apparently curative resection for colorectal cancer. RESULTS: In the five patients with a normal pre-operative DPI (< 0.30), there was no significant change following surgery. In the nine patients with an abnormal pre-operative DPI, there was a small but significant fall from 0.38 (SEM 0.02) to 0.33 (0.02) following surgery (P = 0.04). However, DPI values remained abnormally elevated in seven of these nine patients. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the primary tumour plays a relatively minor role in inducing an abnormally elevated DPI in patients undergoing apparently curative resection for colorectal cancer.Oppo, K. (2000). Clinical Radiology55, 791-793. Copyright 2000 The Royal College of Radiologists.