Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion Diagnosed by Doppler Ultrasound

Using a transcutaneous Doppler ultrasonic blood velocity detector, retrograde ophthalmic artery blood flow was demonstrated in four patients, all of whom had angiographically confirmed occluded internal carotid arteries. In three, compression of the facial artery obliterated the ophthalmic artery signal. In a fourth patient compression of the superficial temporal artery produced the same result. The technique presently used to monitor ophthalmic artery blood flow and to detect retrograde ophthalmic flow is described. This simple method appears to be at least as useful as ophthalmodynamometry in the routine evaluation of patients for extracranial occlusive disease, is easier to perform, and has a wider range of application.