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Blood Flow Velocities in the Vertebral Veins of Healthy Subjects: A Duplex Sonographic Study
Author(s) -
Hoffmann Olaf,
Weih Markus,
von Münster Thomas,
Schreiber Stephan,
Einhäupl Karl Max,
Valdueza José Manuel
Publication year - 1999
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/jon199994198
Subject(s) - medicine , blood flow , vertebral artery , duplex (building) , internal jugular vein , jugular vein , vein , clinical significance , anatomy , radiology , thrombosis , anastomosis , hemodynamics , surgery , cardiology , dna , genetics , biology
Along with the jugular veins, the vertebral veins serve as an important pathway for venous blood returning from the brain. In this study, the authors report duplex sonographic findings in 138 healthy subjects without central nervous disease. Successful insonation was possible in 70.7% of all examined vessels. Bilateral insonation was achieved in 86 subjects (62.3%). Only 1 vertebral vein was detected in 23 persons (16. 7%), whereas no vein was found in 29 persons (21 %). The authors observed a marked variation of peak flow velocities ranged (5–81 cm/s, mean ± standard deviation, 23.9 ± 12.3 cm/s). No significant gender‐related or side‐to‐side differences or age influences on flow velocities were detected. The authors' findings may be of relevance when discussing flow velocities in the vertebral veins in cases of cerebrovenous disorders (e.g., dural sinus thrombosis) or in patients after neck dissection.