Angle-dependence and reproducibility of dual-beam vector doppler ultrasound in the common carotid arteries of normal volunteers.
Dual-beam vector Doppler has the potential to improve peak systolic blood velocity measurement accuracy by automatically correcting for the beam-flow Doppler angle. Using a modified linear-array system with a split receive aperture, we have assessed the angle-dependence over Doppler angles of 40 degrees -70 degrees and the reproducibility of the dual-beam blood maximum velocity estimate measured in the common carotid arteries (CCA) 1 to 2 cm prior to the bifurcation of 9 presumed-healthy volunteers. The velocity magnitude estimate was reduced by approximately 7.9% as the angle between the transmit beam and the vessel axis was increased from 40 degrees to 70 degrees. With repeat measurements made, on average, approximately 6 weeks apart, the 95% velocity magnitude limits of agreement were as follows: Intraobserver -41.3 to +45.2 cm/s; interobserver -29.6 to +46.8 cm/s. There was an 8.6 cm/s interobserver bias in velocity magnitude. We conclude that the dual-beam vector Doppler system can measure blood velocity within its scan plane with low dependence on angle and with similar reproducibility to that of single-beam systems.
Department of Medical Physics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. robins@maths.usyd.edu.au
Robin
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Steel
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KV
Ramnarine
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Criton
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Davidson
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Allan
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Humphries
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Routh
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Fish
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Hoskins
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*