What is the primary use of power Doppler in ultrasound?

Power Doppler ultrasound is primarily used to assess blood flow, and its key advantage is that it evaluates the intensity of blood flow regardless of the direction in which the blood is moving. Unlike traditional Doppler modes, which measure the velocity and assess the direction of blood flow, Power Doppler provides a more sensitive representation of the presence and strength of blood flow without being affected by the directionality. This makes it particularly useful in assessing vascularity and detecting blood flow in various clinical scenarios, such as in tumors or inflammatory conditions.

The sensitivity of Power Doppler to detect low-velocity flow is also beneficial in applications where traditional Doppler might miss subtle changes in blood perfusion. This capability makes Power Doppler an important tool in evaluating conditions related to perfusion and vascularization.