HYPERTENSIVE INTRAARTERIAL CHEMOTHERAPY FOR ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMA ASSESSED BY TRANSVAGINAL DOPPLER ULTRASOUND AND MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING

We examined the effectiveness of hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy for endometrial carcinoma using transvaginal Doppler ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. Angiotensin II, 100 mg cisplatin, and 40 mg doxorubicin were prescribed for 8 patients with endometrial carcinoma (3 stage Ia; 3 stage Ib; 2 stage II). The resistance index (RI) was obtained for intratumoral blood flow velocity waveforms by transvaginal Doppler ultrasound and changes in RI (Delta RI: differences before and after chemotherapy) were calculated. The tumor volume (TV) was also evaluated, based on the T2-weighted image of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The decrease in tumor size [DR-T: (TV before chemotherapy - TV after chemotherapy)/TV before chemotherapy x 100] was determined. RI measurements did not correlate with TV, either before or after chemotherapy. The Delta RI varied from 0.007 to 0.615 (mean: 0.207) and DR - T varied from 20.1% to 65.0% (mean: 45.5%). The correlation between Delta RI and DR - T [DR - T = 23.5 +/- 167.2 (Delta RI) - 165.6 (Delta RI)(2); R(2) = 0.772, p < 0.05] was significant. Therefore, we confirmed the effectiveness of hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy for endometrial carcinoma using both transvaginal Doppler ultrasound and MRI. (C) 1995 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.