Simultaneous vasomotor reactivity testing in the middle cerebral and basilar artery with suboccipital probe fixation device.
BACKGROUND
We assess the feasibility of using the newly designed suboccipital probe fixation device (SPFD) as a convenient and reliable tool for simultaneous measurement of vasomotor reactivity (VMR) in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and basilar artery (BA).


METHODS
We analyzed 30 healthy volunteers' VMR values by using both SPFD and conventional handheld method. The VMR values were measured as percentage increase of the mean flow velocity on transcranial Doppler (TCD) in response to hypercapnia induced by the rebreathing method. The VMR tests were performed three times: (1) for both MCAs, (2) for the index MCA (the better signal window) and the BA by using the SPFD, and (3) for the index MCA and the BA by using the handheld technique.


RESULTS
The VMR values of the right and left MCAs were similar (P > .05). Although the VMR values of the index MCA and the BA obtained by SPFD application and the handheld technique were similar (P > .05), the correlation coefficient of VMR values obtained by using the SPFD was higher (r= .827, P < .001 vs. r= .568, P= .001).


CONCLUSIONS
The SPFD is a convenient and reliable tool for the evaluation of relative VMR between the MCA and BA during TCD monitoring.
Hong
Ji Man
JM
Department of Neurology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon-sī, kyunggi-do, South Korea. dacda@hanmail.net
Joo
In Soo
IS
Huh
Kyoon
K
Sheen
Seung Soo
SS
D000328:Adult; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012119:Respiration; D012984:Software; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000502:physiology*