title: B-Flow Imaging in Lower Limb Peripheral Arterial Disease and Bypass Graft Ultrasonography.
abstract: Doppler ultrasonography plays a key role in the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease, but is often limited by pitfalls that may be overcome by B-flow imaging. Thus far, there is little information on B-flow imaging for the assessment of peripheral arterial disease and bypass grafts in lower limbs. This article describes the authors' early experience with B-flow in the lower extremities. Sixty patients were included among a large cohort of patients routinely referred to the vascular laboratory for peripheral arterial disease and bypass graft assessments. Two experienced vascular sonographers performed all scans, comparing color Doppler ultrasonography with B-flow imaging. All scans were performed using a combination of the 9 L linear and C2-9 curvilinear transducers with the LOGIQ E9 system (GE Healthcare, Waukesha, WI, USA). Our experience indicates that this relatively unexplored technology has the potential to significantly improve peripheral blood flow evaluation. Nevertheless, B-flow imaging is not exempt from limitations and should be considered complementary to color Doppler ultrasonography.
authors.affiliation: St. George's Vascular Laboratory-Vascular Institute, St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: fabrizio.dabate@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Abate
authors.affiliation: St. George's Vascular Laboratory-Vascular Institute, St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Veni
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.affiliation: St. George's Vascular Laboratory-Vascular Institute, St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: St. George's Vascular Laboratory-Vascular Institute, St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Farrah
authors.affiliation: St. George's Vascular Laboratory-Vascular Institute, St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mudasar H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: St. George's Vascular Laboratory-Vascular Institute, St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Bristol Centre for Surgical Research, University of Bristol, ​Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hinchliffe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
keywords: Artifacts; B-Flow imaging; Calcification; Color Doppler; Duplex; Peripheral arterial disease; Pulsed wave Doppler; Ultrasound