title: Dopplersonographic measurement of global cerebral circulation time using echo contrast-enhanced ultrasound in normal individuals and patients with arteriovenous malformations.
abstract: Echo-contrast "bolus tracking" by ultrasound (US) is an exciting new tool to study cerebral haemodynamics. In the present study, a global cerebral circulation time (CCT) was measured by extracranial Doppler as the time difference of contrast bolus arrival between the internal carotid artery and internal jugular vein. A total of 64 healthy volunteers and 9 patients with an angiographically diagnosed arteriovenous malformation (AVM) were studied. CCT in volunteers and patients was calculated as the time interval between the points of 10% rise (CCT(1)) and 90% rise (CCT(3)) of the total intensity increase and between the turning points (CCT(2)) of the resulting time-intensity curves. In the volunteer group, CCT(1) was 5.4 +/- 1.8 s, CCT(2) was 7 +/- 1.3 s and CCT(3) 7.5 +/- 1.8 s. CCT results in the AVM group were 2.8 +/- 2.5 s, 3.0 +/- 1.3 s and 4.5 +/- 2.1 s, respectively, and differed significantly from the controls. For the first time, we could confirm a significant shortening of CCT in patients with cerebral AVM by US. The presented test might become a new, additional tool for AVM evaluation and follow-up of treatment in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Charité, Schumannstrasse 20/21, 10098 Berlin, Germany. Stephan.Schreiber@charite.de
authors.forename: Stephan Joachim
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Doepp
authors.forename: Elda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Staccioli
authors.forename: Kamil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uludag
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Valdueza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001776:Blood Circulation Time; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media