The role of directional power Doppler in vascular characterization of renal masses.

Objectives: The purpose of our study was to characterize the vascularization of frequently detected renal masses with directional power Doppler (dpD).

Materials And Methods: We analyzed 38 renal masses with B-mode sonography (US), dpD, computer tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance (MR) and, in some cases, also with percutaneous renal biopsy (RB). The study population included 14 renal cell carcinomas (RCC), 10 angiomyolipomas (AML), 5 other types of lesions, as complex cysts, anatomical malformations and focal pyelonephritis (PLN), 9 mass lesions classified indeterminate by imaging studies and have defied characterization by RB.