Relationship between cerebral blood flow estimated by transcranial Doppler ultrasound and single-photon emission computed tomography in elderly people with dementia

Abstract

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography is a non-invasive technique allowing continuous recording of cerebral blood flow (CBF) velocity. However, it is unclear whether the CBF estimated by TCD would be reliable for the comparison between individuals. The present study aimed to clarify the relationship between middle cerebral artery blood flow (MCA BF) measured by TCD and regional and total CBF measured by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT-CBF) with a quantification software program, 3-dimensional stereotaxic region of interest template. We recruited 91 elderly subjects with and without dementia. MCA blood flow velocity (MCA V) and middle cerebral artery cross-sectional area (AM) were measured by TCD and magnetic resonance angiography, respectively. MCA BF was calculated by the product of MCA V and A. Diastolic or mean MCA V and MCA BF were significantly correlated with SPECT-CBF in several segments. Interestingly, the correlation coefficient in temporal segment of SPECT-CBF was higher than those of the other segments. Moreover, correlations between MCA BF and SPECT-CBF were stronger as compared with those between MCA V and SPECT-CBF. These findings suggest that both mean MCA V and MCA BF with TCD ultrasonography would be useful for CBF comparison between individuals especially in temporal region although estimated blood flow with arterial area seems to be better than using simple flow velocity.

Microvascular Contribution to Late-Onset Depression: Mechanisms, Current Evidence, Association With Other Brain Diseases, and Therapeutic Perspectives

“…reflect loss of viable tissue), or both. Lower cerebral blood flow velocity assessed at the level of large cerebral arteries with Doppler ultrasound, which may be related to lower global cerebral perfusion (45), was associated with higher risk of incident depressive symptoms in individuals with heart failure (46), and with incident depression in a large population-based study (35).In addition, cross-sectional studies in older individuals with depression have found altered global (measured at the level of large arteries) or regional (at the tissue level) cerebral perfusion, independent of cerebral atrophy (47)(48)(49). In one study, regional cerebral perfusion was altered to a greater extent in individuals with late-onset depression (defined in that study as first onset of the episode after the age of 60 years), compared to individuals with early-onset depression and individuals without any depression, and altered cerebral perfusion was associated with worse cognitive performance in these individuals (48).…”

The benefits of regular aerobic exercise training on cerebrovascular function and cognition in older adults

“…More highly localised and direct processes could be used in future studies, if available, and these may give more definitive results. However, it is unlikely that this should be a limiting factor given that correlations between direct methods of CBF determination and TCD have been positively associated and validated (Miyazawa et al 2018 ; Willie et al 2011 ).…”

Countdown before voluntary exercise induces muscle vasodilation with baroreflex-mediated decrease in muscle sympathetic nerve activity in humans

“…Because we could not measure the cerebral artery diameter, the blood flow in the middle cerebral artery was inferred from its velocity, with the assumption that the diameter was constant (1). We used this approach because V MCA measured by transcranial Doppler ultrasound had reportedly been correlated with regional cerebral blood flow measured by single-photon emission computed tomography (22).…”