A new sensitive method for the quantification of internal carotid stenoses by means of ultrasound Doppler signal processing.
A new way of processing the ultrasound Doppler spectrum is presented. By introducing a Disturbance Index (DI), based on a double Fourier transformation, the quantitative evaluation of blood flow disturbance is possible. The integral value of this index over the whole cardiac cycle can be used to quantify the degree of lower grade internal carotid artery (ICA) stenoses and plaques. In a preliminary study, this new method has been tested in 18 normal and 10 atherosclerotic carotid arteries against Duplex-scan and angiography. The results were compared with 5 alternative methods of processing the Doppler spectrum.
D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*