title: Spontaneous echo-contrast in the internal jugular veins of patients with ischemic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Spontaneous echo-contrast (SEC) appears on B-mode images as moving curls of smoke in the lumen of veins. The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of internal jugular vein SEC among patients with stroke, in comparison with control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 97 Korean patients with acute ischemic stroke and 50 controls. Both internal jugular veins were examined for the presence and severity of SEC and measurement of flow velocity. Venous samples were obtained for laboratory evaluation of hematologic factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 294 internal jugular veins, the prevalence of SEC was 81% in stroke patients and 68% in controls (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-3.6; p = 0.013). Stroke patients were more likely to have SEC on the left (p = 0.025) than on the right (p = 0.184) internal jugular vein. Overall, the association between stroke and SEC remained significant after adjustment for other variables (odds ratio, 4.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-10.8; p = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Internal jugular vein SEC was found more frequently in stroke patients than in controls. However, local as well as systemic factors must be considered in the interpretation of this finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jay Chol
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Yun-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Joong Goo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeon-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi-Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Department of Ocean System Engineering, Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Guk
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Paeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Nerissa U
authors.initials: NU
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: J Donald
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Easton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: internal jugular vein; ischemic stroke; spontaneous echo-contrast