[Measuring basilar artery blood flow velocity with transcranial Doppler and and transcranial Doppler color ultrasound].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to clarify, by means of transcranial colour-coded duplex sonography of the basilar artery, whether there are changes in basilar artery blood flow in patients with acute inner ear disturbances and whether the flow in the basilar artery is affected by acoustic stimuli in such patients and in normal, healthy controls.


METHODS
Basilar artery blood flow velocity was measured in 52 patients with severe inner ear impairment over a period of two weeks by means of conventional transcranial Doppler sonography and transcranial colour-coded duplex sonography. The same measurements were carried out in 45 healthy control subjects. At the end of the two week period, both patients and controls were exposed to 70-dB noise, with basilar artery flow evaluated before and during exposure. The basilar artery Doppler curves were analysed for systolic flow velocity, end-diastolic flow velocity, resistance index (Pourcelot) and pulsatility index (Gosling).


RESULTS
During the first two days of the study, the basilar artery resistance index and pulsatility index were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in patients than in controls. During noise exposure, both patients and controls showed significant (p < 0.01) increases in these indices.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that temporary increases in the basilar artery resistance index and pulsatility index are found both in the acute phase of inner ear disease and during exposure to noise.
Schweizer
J
J
Abteilung für Angiologie, Medizinischen Klinik des Städtischen Klinikums Dresden-Friedrichstadt.
Mück-Weymann
M
M
Klemm
E
E
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000098:blood supply; D005260:Female; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
Messung der Basilaris-Flussgeschwindigkeit mittels TCD und TCCD.