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Diagnostic Value of Three‐Dimensional Transcranial Contrast Duplex Sonography
Author(s) -
Delcker, Andreas,
Turowski B.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of neuroimaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1552-6569
pISSN - 1051-2284
DOI - 10.1111/jon199773139
Subject(s) - medicine , middle cerebral artery , posterior cerebral artery , anterior cerebral artery , transcranial doppler , radiology , cerebral arteries , ultrasound , contrast (vision) , angiography , posterior communicating artery , nuclear medicine , internal carotid artery , ischemia , cardiology , artificial intelligence , computer science
This study evaluated intracranial cerebral arteries using a new data acquisition system for transcranial three‒dimensional (3D) ultrasonography with and without an echo contrast agent, with confirmation by cerebral angiography. Ten patients, studied with diagnostic cerebral angiography, were examined without knowledge of the angiographic results. Data acquisition through the transtemporal acoustic window was performed using a magnetic sensor system to track the spatial orientation of the ultrasound probe while scanning the volume of interest. A color transcranial duplex system with a power Doppler mode was used, and 3D data sets were acquired before and after the injection of transpulmonary‒stable ultrasound contrast medium. Ipsilateral to the transducer, the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) in 90%, middle cerebral artery (MCA) in 60%, all three or more branches of the MCA in 60%, posterior cerebral artery (PCA) in 60%, and posterior communicating artery (PCoA) in 60% were successfully imaged without the echo contrast agent. With the contrast agent, the ACA, MCA, three or more branches of the MCA, PCA, and PCoA were visible in 100%. The anterior communicating artery was visualized in 40% without contrast enhancement and in 90% with contrast enhancement. Contralateral to the transducer, the ACA (60%), MCA (30%), all three or more branches of the MCA (10%), PCA (20%), and PCoA (20%) were successfully imaged without contrast. Contrast enhancement improved the imaging success rate for the ACA (90%), MCA (80%), three or more branches of the MCA (80%), PCA (100%), and PCoA (100%). A transpulmonary‒stable ultrasound contrast agent used in combination with 3D transcranial duplex ultrasonography can significantly improve the success rate for transcranial color duplex imaging of intracranial arteries.