NONINVASIVE ASSESSMENT OF COLLATERAL BLOOD-FLOW OF CEREBRAL HEMISPHERE BY DOPPLER ULTRASOUND

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 145  (6) , 873-876
Abstract
Directional flow in the frontal artery, a terminal branch of the ophthalmic artery, was assessed noninvasively by Doppler ultrasound during brief digital compression of the ipsilateral common carotid artery in 62 patients. Directional frontal artery flow during carotid compression was compared with mean distal internal carotid back pressure measured at subsequent carotid endarterectomy. Mean carotid back pressure in 28 patients with normal frontal artery flow direction during carotid compression, 68 .+-. 14 mmHg, was significantly higher than that observed in 24 patients in whom frontal artery flow was completely obliterated and 10 in whom frontal artery flow was reversed. Distal internal carotid back pressure exceeded 48 mmHg in all patients with normal frontal artery flow direction during carotid compression. Carotid back pressure was below 41 mmHg in all but 1 patient in whom frontal artery flow was obliterated or reversed during carotid compression. Doppler ultrasound assessment of frontal artery flow direction during simultaneous carotid compression may provide a rapid, safe noninvasive estimate of the adequacy of collateral hemispheric circulation.

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