title: Ultrasound assessment of the caliber of the arteries in the lower extremities in healthy persons - the dependency on age, sex and morphological parameters of the subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this paper was to evaluate the caliber of the following arteries in the lower extremities: the common femoral artery, superficial femoral artery, popliteal artery, posterior tibial artery and dorsalis pedis artery and to determine the relation of the calibers to age, sex and morphological parameters of the body such as weight, height and BMI of the subject.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and twenty-eight healthy persons aged 18-81 were examined (average ±SD; 43.1±16.71): 134 women aged 19-74 (43.2±15.63) and 94 men aged 18-81 (43±18.22).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted with the use of a linear probe of 7.5 MHz frequency. The vascular caliber was assessed after the color map (color Doppler) was placed on a B-mode image.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average and standard deviation values for the calibers of examined vessels were determined. The calibers of all vessels examined in the group of men were statistically significantly larger than those in the group of women. No statistically significant differences between the calibers of the right and left sides were determined. The statistically significant correlations were specified between the age and the caliber of the examined vessels; positive for large femoral arteries and negative for the arteries of the crus and foot. Positive, statistically significant correlations between the caliber and the height, weight and BMI were also reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reported calibers of the arteries in the lower extremities and their relation to age, sex and morphological parameters of the subjects enable the differentiation of the physiological remodeling of the vessels from the pathological processes in e.g. atherosclerosis or hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Uniwersytecki Szpital Kliniczny w Białymstoku, Białystok, Polska.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Czyżewska
authors.affiliation: Zakład Radiologii, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Białymstoku, Białystok, Polska.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ustymowicz
authors.affiliation: Studenckie Koło Naukowe, Zakład Radiologii, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Białymstoku, Białystok, Polska.
authors.forename: Kamil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krysiuk
authors.affiliation: Studenckie Koło Naukowe, Zakład Radiologii, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Białymstoku, Białystok, Polska.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Witkowski
authors.affiliation: Studenckie Koło Naukowe, Zakład Radiologii, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Białymstoku, Białystok, Polska.
authors.forename: Mateusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zonenberg
authors.affiliation: Studenckie Koło Naukowe, Zakład Radiologii, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Białymstoku, Białystok, Polska.
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dobrzycki
authors.affiliation: Zakład Radiologii, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Białymstoku, Białystok, Polska.
authors.forename: Urszula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Łebkowska
keywords: artery; caliber; color Doppler; lower extremity; ultrasound