Radiologic Importance of a High-Resistive Vertebral Artery Doppler Waveform on Carotid Duplex Ultrasonography

Abstract

The finding of an HR spectral Doppler signal in the VA was associated with major vertebrobasilar disease (46% of cases) and should prompt additional neuroimaging in the appropriate clinical situation.

Dampening of Blood-Flow Pulsatility along the Carotid Siphon: Does Form Follow Function?

“…The evaluation of local alterations of the arterial waveform are widely used for the diagnosis of arterial stenoses. 1 However, little is known about physiologic and pathologic waveform changes while traversing the arterial tree from the heart to the peripheric vessels. To identify normal blood flow profiles, several studies focused on the characterization of archetypal flow waveforms in the carotid artery tree of healthy volunteers of different ages, [2][3][4][5] by using either Doppler sonography or 2D phase-contrast MR imaging.…”

The AIUM Practice Parameter for the Performance of an Ultrasound Examination of the Extracranial Cerebrovascular System

“…Stenosis above 50% should be graded to within a range to provide adequate information for clinical decision‐making. Numerous factors may falsely increase or decrease velocities (eg, systemic disease, cardiovascular disease, contralateral severe disease or occlusion, and near occlusive stenoses) 6,15–17 . Simple velocity criteria may not be valid for children or younger adults, and other criteria, such as ratios, may be helpful in these circumstances. The report should describe abnormal waveforms, if present 4,18,19 The report must indicate vertebral artery flow direction. The report may characterize plaques, depending on the laboratory interpretation criteria 20–24 …”

AIUM Practice Parameter for the Performance of an Ultrasound Examination of the Extracranial Cerebrovascular System

“…The report should describe abnormal waveforms, if present. 5,19 6. The report must indicate vertebral artery flow direction.…”