Pulsed Doppler: determination of diameter, blood flow velocity, and volumic flow of brachial artery in man

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Abstract
A pulsed Doppler velocimeter suitable for the determination of blood flow velocity and volumic flow in peripheral arteries is described. The apparatus has two main characteristics: an adjustable range-gated time system and a double transducer probe. The error in the determination of the angle between the ultrasound beam and flow of blood with this apparatus was less than 2%, and overestimation of the arterial diameter due to the sample volume size did not exceed 0.035 ± 0.015 cm. The apparatus was used to determine diameter, blood flow velocity and volumic flow of the brachial artery of 22 healthy men. The values were respectively 0.440 ± 0.010 cm, 9.15 − 1.01 cm·s−1 and 85 ± 10 cm3·min−1. Administration of intravenous nitroglycerin significantly increased the arterial diameter (P < 0.001) without any significant change in volumic flow. The described pulsed Doppler velocimeter provides an accurate noninvasive method for determining volumic flow in peripheral arteries in clinical investigation and cardiovascular pharmacology.