Normal developmental changes in carotid artery diameter measured by echo-tracking.
We examined the developmental changes in carotid arterial diameter and its change with pulsatile pressure in infants and children using the phase-locked echo-tracking method. The mean, maximum systolic, and minimum diastolic carotid arterial diameter and pulsating diameter changes were measured in 95 healthy children aged 1 month to 13 years. The mean, maximum, and minimum carotid arterial diameter increase significantly and exponentially with age, body weight, height, and body surface area, and the correlation coefficient was highest with body surface area. The change in carotid arterial diameter with pulse pressure increased gradually until 2 to 3 years of age. Our results suggest that the maturational changes in carotid diameter and the dynamic changes in the diameter reflect changes in the carotid-cerebral circulatory system. The noninvasive measurement of the carotid diameter and pulsating diameter changes by a phase-locked echo-tracking method is useful for examining carotid-cerebral circulatory disorders.
Kojo
M
M
Department of Pediatrics, Oita Medical University, School of Medicine, Japan.
Yamada
K
K
Izumi
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012016:Reference Values; D013499:Surface Properties; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*