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Color Doppler Ultrasound Follow‐Up of Infantile Hemangiomas and Peripheral Vascularity in Patients Treated with Propranolol
Author(s) -
Kutz Ana M.,
Aranibar Ligia,
Lobos Nelson,
Wortsman Ximena
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
pediatric dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.542
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1525-1470
pISSN - 0736-8046
DOI - 10.1111/pde.12596
Subject(s) - medicine , vascularity , propranolol , peripheral , hemangioma , ultrasound , radiology , lesion , peripheral vessels , cohort , surgery
Background Infantile hemangiomas ( IH s) are the most common vascular tumors in childhood. Diagnosis of IH s is usually clinical, however, to determine the actual dimensions of the lesion or the anatomic changes that occur during its evolution and treatment, a color Doppler ultrasound ( CDU ) examination can be performed. To date, there are few publications that assess the sonographic response to propranolol in IH s, and to our knowledge, none that consider simultaneous evaluation of both intralesional and normal peripheral blood vessels in these cases. Objective Evaluation of the anatomic effect of propranolol in IH s and peripheral blood vessels using CDU . Methods A cohort study was performed in 10 pediatric patients with a diagnosis of IH in whom systemic therapy with propranolol was indicated. The patients underwent a baseline and 3‐month follow‐up CDU s of the tumor and the main peripheral vessels of the right upper extremity. Results The group was composed of 7 (70%) girls and 3 (30%) boys. The average CDU decrease in size of the longitudinal axis was 11%; of the transverse axis, 24%; tumor thickness, 30%; and intralesional vessel thickness, 46%. Hemangioma volume measured by CDU decreased an average of 51%. The thickness of the peripheral vessels did not change significantly between the baseline and 3‐month follow‐up CDU s. Conclusion CDU permits noninvasive quantification of the changes in IH s and peripheral vessels in patients receiving propranolol therapy. In our cohort of cases there was a significant reduction in tumor volume; however, peripheral vascularity was not significantly affected.