The study aimed to determine the normal range of the intima-media thickness that was measured in common carotid artery and carotid groove and evaluate the changes in measurement with age in 200 healthy adults (113 males, 87 females, from 15 to 93 years old) between August 1998 and December 1999. Results: On average, the intima-media thickness is 0.7+/-0.16 mm in common carotid artery and is 0.87+/-0.25 mm in carotid groove. There is not difference in the intima-media thickness of common carotid and carotid groove between left and right. The intima-media thickness of both common carotid artery and carotid groove is increased over age. There is a linear correlation between the intima-media thickness with age. The intima-media thickness of common carotid artery, but not of carotid groove, is higher in men than in women
ultrasonography ; Carotid Arteries

200 persons, average age is 59,27 (from 15-93) without vascular risk factors were studied by colour Duplex scanning. Results showed that average systolic velocity in common carotid arteries is 81,14 +/- 14,67 cm/s, average diastolic velocity is 23,27 +/- 5,15 cm/s, average diastolic velocity is 25,53 +/- 5,21 cm/s. Average systolic velocity in vertebral arteries is 42,58 +/- 7,73cm/s, average diastolic velocity is 14,68 +/- 3,63 cm/s. No statistic significantly difference of these parameters between men and women. No statistic difference of these parameters between right and left side. Systolic and diastolic velocities in common and internal carotid arteries decrease significantly with age. Other parameters do not change clearly with age
ultrasonography ; Carotid Arteries

The study involved 40 patients with symptoms of clinical vertebral-basilar artery decline as headache, balance disorder, movement disorder, cognitive disorder, and sleep disorder, and 100 Vietnamese healthy controls. All participants were divided into 3 age groups: under 40 years, 40 to 49 years, and 50 to 59 years. Results: in vertebral-basilar artery decline, Doppler Vd parameters reduced to less than 5 cm/s. MRI reduced to less than 0.02 and RI increased by more than 0.75; PI increased by 0.20. If clinical and CW Doppler Ultrasound findings showed the lateral or bilateral vertebral artery decline, it should be indicated 4-position neck spinography.
ultrasonography ; Arteries ; Pathology

No abstract available.
Cerebral Arteries* ; Hemodynamics* ; Ultrasonography*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to study whether the Doppler ultrasound differentiate obstructive hydronephrosis from nonobstructive hydronephrosis in sonographically diagnosed hydronephrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 35 kidneys of 27 patients with hydronephrosis which were diagnosed with sonography. Resistive indices were calculated from Doppler waveforms at the level of interlobar or arcuate arteries. We divided the materials into two groups with obstructive and nonobstructive hydronephrosis according to the findings of intravenous pyelography, retrograde pyelography, and anterograde pyelography. These were compared with normal control group(20 kidneys in 10 persons). We also grouped patients regarding to the duration after onset of clinical symptom, and graded the hydronephrosis into three group according to sonographic findings. We analyzed the correlations of the above sonography and clinical findings with resistive index. Hydronephrosis was obstructive in 20 kidneys(in 17 patients) and nonobstructive in 15 kidneys(in 10 patients). RESULTS: There was statistically significant difference between the mean resistive indices in obstructive hydronephrosis(0.74 +/- 0.02) and that in nonobstructive hydronephrosis (0.60 +/- 0.02)(p<0.05). Also there was no difference between the mean resistive indeces in nonobstructive hydronephrosis and that in normal control group(0.59 +/- 0.07)(P > or = 0.05). CONCLUSION: The use of Doppler sonography can be helpful in detecting the presence or absence of true obstruction in patients with hydronephrosis.
Arteries ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis* ; Kidney* ; Ultrasonography ; Urography

OBJECTIVE: Greater occipital nerve block (GONB) is a widely accepted treatment of primary headaches. Two ultrasound (US)-guided blockade techniques exist: 1) the classical distal nerve block technique performed medial to the occipital artery at the superior nuchal line, and 2) the new proximal nerve block technique performed at the obliquus capitis inferior muscle at the level of C2. Our study aim was to perform a head-to-head comparative study of these two US-guided techniques.METHOD: Forty-nine patients with primary headache treated in our university hospital were recruited. Patients were randomized into two groups of the classical nerve block and the new proximal nerve block techniques. The headache questionnaire was made to assess the intensity of the pain of headache attacks, number of days they experience headache, duration of headache, and amount of pain medication they consumed.RESULTS: In both groups, a decrease in the severity and frequency of the headache was observed. There was no measurable difference in outcome between the two groups.CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the classic and new proximal techniques are equally effective in decreasing the headache severity and frequency.
Arteries ; Headache ; Humans ; Methods ; Nerve Block ; Ultrasonography

The authors report a patient with a small traumatic cirsoid aneurysm of the scalp, diagnosed by duplex doppler ultrasonography. This 15-year-old boy was diagnosed as a cirsoid aneurysm by duplex doppler ultrasonogram which revealed an ovoid cystic lesion at left temporal area of scalp containing vascular flow mapping. The gross appearance showed an aneurysm with arteriovenous fistula, consisting of two feeding arteries and two draining veins. Total removal of mass was made and the histological examination revealed an aneurysm which showing irregular contour of inner surface and thickened fibrotic vascular wall without normal arterial layers. Noninvasive duplex doppler ultrasonography before surgical excision or direct puncture embolization of cirsoid aneurysms of the scalp could be recommended as an alternative management option.
Adolescent ; Aneurysm* ; Arteries ; Arteriovenous Fistula ; Humans ; Male ; Punctures ; Scalp* ; Ultrasonography ; Ultrasonography, Doppler* ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex ; Veins

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography of the carotids has recently emerged as a complementary examination to conventional carotid Doppler ultrasonography. It is an examination providing improved visualization of the vascular lumen, more accurate and detailed delineation of the vascular wall, and identification of atherosclerotic plaques. Moreover, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography has specific advantages over conventional ultrasonography and plays an important role in the diagnosis of the vulnerable carotid plaque, as it can identify intraplaque neovascularization and carotid plaque ulceration. Given the specific advantages and improved imaging of the carotids provided by this method, radiologists should be familiar with it. This pictorial essay illustrates the advantages of this technique and discusses its value in the imaging of carotid arteries.
Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Stenosis ; Contrast Media ; Diagnosis ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Ulcer ; Ultrasonography* ; Ultrasonography, Doppler ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

Carotid Doppler ultrasonography is a popular tool for evaluating atherosclerosis of the carotid artery. Its two-dimensional gray scale can be used for measuring the intima-media thickness, which is very good biomarker for atherosclerosis and can aid in plaque characterization. The plaque morphology is related to the risk of stroke. The ulceration of plaque is also known as one of the strong predictors of future embolic event risk. Color Doppler ultrasonography and pulse Doppler ultrasonography have been used for detecting carotid artery stenosis. Doppler ultrasonography has unique physical properties. The operator should be familiar with the physics and other parameters of Doppler ultrasonography to perform optimal Doppler ultrasonography studies.
Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Stenosis ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Stroke ; Ulcer ; Ultrasonography ; Ultrasonography, Doppler* ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the association between the common polymorphisms of the adiponectin gene(ACDC) and the intima-media thickness(IMT) of the common carotid arteries in type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: The B mode ultrasound examination of carotid artery was performed on 133 type 2 diabetic patients. The carotid IMT was calculated using the Intimascope computer program. The SNP45 and SNP276 of the ACDC were examined. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the carotid IMT among the SNP45 genotypes(0.66+/-0.18mm for TT, 0.71+/-0.12mm for TG and 0.64+/-0.15mm for GG, P=NS). Subjects carrying the SNP276 GG genotype had a markedly lower serum adiponectin concentration than those carrying the TT genotype(3.35+/-2.00microgram/mL vs. 4.98+/-2.24microgram/mL, P=0.029) The carotid IMT was significantly higher in patients with the SNP276 GG genotype than those with the TT genotype (0.70+/-0.17mm vs. 0.59+/-0.13mm, P=0.032). Patients with the +45GG/+276GG genotype combination showed significantly higher mean carotid IMT than the other genotype combinations(0.78+/-0.09mm vs. 0.71+/-0.15mm, P=0.013) CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the adiponectin gene, SNP276 is associated with the carotid IMT in type 2 diabetic patients. Further studies are will be needed to confirm these genotypephenotype associations.
Adiponectin* ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Genotype ; Humans ; Ultrasonography