Detection of vascular haemodynamics through a high-speed velocity profiler

• Published in: European journal of ultrasound 1999-07, Vol.9 (3), p.231-244
• Main Authors: Tortoli, Piero, Guidi, Gabriele, Guidi, Francesco, Menicucci, Chiara, Atzeni, Carlo, Muchada, Raoul
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aorta - diagnostic imaging; Aorta - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Flow Velocity; Blood vessels; Cardiovascular system; Carotid Arteries - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Arteries - physiology; Doppler effect; Doppler ultrasound; Edge detection; Feature extraction; Femoral Artery - diagnostic imaging; Femoral Artery - physiology; Fourier Analysis; Hemodynamics; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Normal Distribution; Peak frequency detection; Radial Artery - diagnostic imaging; Radial Artery - physiology; Reference Values; Spectral analysis; Spectrum analysis; Transducers; Ultrasonic investigative techniques; Ultrasonic transducers; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex - instrumentation; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex - methods; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex - statistics & numerical data; Velocity measurement; Velocity profile
• ISSN: 0929-8266
• DOI: 10.1016/S0929-8266(99)00034-8

Objective: This paper aims at demonstrating that ultrasound Doppler multigate spectral analysis performed with advanced equipment may provide detailed and significant haemodynamic information. Methods: A novel multigate system was recently introduced and shown capable of performing real-time spectral analysis of Doppler data from 64 resolution cells located at different depths from the transducer. The system extends the typical capabilities of conventional Pulsed Wave (PW) equipment by displaying the full spectral content of Doppler signals over an ultrasound scan line rather than in a single resolution cell. In cases where it is appropriate to display the available information in a simpler form, parameters such as the maximum frequency can be extracted from each spectrum, by using conventional or advanced image processing methods. Results: In-vitro experiments show that the multigate system can perform velocity measurements with good accuracy and precision. Examples of in vivo profiles detected from carotid, femoral and radial arteries are presented. In particular, the first results obtained from the aorta are shown. Conclusions: Blood flow behavior can be accurately investigated using a real-time multigate system which extends Doppler spectral analysis to a whole scan line.