A Comparison of Regional Cerebral Blood Flow and Middle Cerebral Artery Blood Flow Velocities: Simultaneous Measurements in Healthy Subjects

Blood flow velocities were measured in both middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) of 36 healthy subjects using transcranial Doppler ultrasound. Measurements were first made using a hand-held probe. Velocities were then studied bilaterally with fixed probes under resting conditions and during simultaneous regional CBF (rCBF) measurements. A significant (p < 0.05) positive correlation was found between MCA flow velocities and rCBF in the estimated perfusion territory of this artery. The correlation coefficient was highest when the measurements were performed simultaneously (p < 0.001) or when velocities recorded with a hand-held probe were adjusted to take into account the significant velocity increase induced by the CBF study situation. The increased velocities during CBF measurements cannot be fully explained by the moderate but significant Pco2 increase. Other possible mechanisms are increased blood flow due to mental activation or MCA vasoconstriction secondary to stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system. The effect of mental activation and Pco2 differences should therefore be considered when comparing the results of repeated velocity and CBF measurements.

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Simultaneous Assessment of Vasoreactivity Using Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound and Cerebral Blood Flow in Healthy Subjects

Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism ◽

10.1038/jcbfm.1994.130 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 14 (6) ◽

pp. 974-981 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

Arve Dahl ◽

David Russell ◽

Rolf Nyberg-Hansen ◽

Kjell Rootwelt ◽

Petter Mowinckel

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Cerebral Blood Flow ◽

Healthy Subjects ◽

Regional Cerebral Blood Flow ◽

Cerebral Arteries ◽

Repeated Measurements ◽

Regional Cerebral Blood ◽

Velocity Increase ◽

Blood Flow Velocities ◽

Flow Velocities

Blood flow velocities in both middle cerebral arteries and regional cerebral blood flow in their perfusion territories were measured simultaneously in 36 healthy subjects. In 20 subjects, the measurements were first performed under basal conditions and then repeated 15–20 min after an intravenous injection of 1 g of acetazolamide. Reproducibility of simultaneous blood flow and velocity measurements was tested by examining 16 subjects on two occasions under basal conditions with an interval of 20 min. Relatively good reproducibility was found for repeated measurements of velocity and blood flow, being best when side-to-side asymmetry was assessed. The increase in blood flow velocities after acetazolamide was symmetrical (right side, 34.2%; and left side, 35.5%), and the velocity increase was significantly correlated with basal values. The increase in cerebral blood flow was also symmetrical (right side, 29.8%; left side, 30.1%) but not correlated with basal flow values. No significant relationship was found between velocity increase and increase in regional cerebral blood flow. This finding is probably not only due to methodological inaccuracies but may suggest that acetazolamide has an effect on the diameter of the middle cerebral artery or on the magnitude of this artery's perfusion territory. This study supports the use of acetazolamide for assessing cerebral vasoreactivity following the definition of lower limits for velocity and flow increase and for asymmetry of the response.

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Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonic Features in Chronic Tension-Type Headache

Cephalalgia ◽

10.1111/j.1468-2982.1992.00385.x ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 385-386 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Thomas-Martin Wallasch

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Transcranial Doppler ◽

Internal Carotid ◽

Cerebral Arteries ◽

Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound ◽

Tension Type Headache ◽

Chronic Tension Type Headache ◽

Blood Flow Velocities ◽

Type Headache ◽

Flow Velocities

We studied vascular features in patients suffering from chronic headache of the tension-type by means of transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD). Blood flow velocities of the basal cerebral arteries and the submandibular extracranial part of the internal carotid artery were compared between 20 chronic tension-type headache sufferers and the same number of age- and sex-matched control subjects. There were no significant differences of ultrasonic features between the groups. Changes in blood flow velocities do not seem to be involved in the pathogenetic mechanisms of chronic tension-type headache.

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Spontaneous Oscillations in Cerebral Blood Flow Velocities in Middle Cerebral Arteries in Control Subjects and Patients With Epilepsy

Stroke ◽

10.1161/01.str.28.12.2457 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 28 (12) ◽

pp. 2457-2459 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Beate Diehl ◽

Rolf R. Diehl ◽

Stefan R. G. Stodieck ◽

E. Bernd Ringelstein

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Cerebral Blood Flow ◽

Cerebral Arteries ◽

Control Subjects ◽

Middle Cerebral Arteries ◽

Spontaneous Oscillations ◽

Blood Flow Velocities ◽

Patients With Epilepsy ◽

Flow Velocities

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Blood-flow velocities and their relationships in carotid and middle cerebral arteries

Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology ◽

10.1016/s0301-5629(98)00092-1 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 24 (8) ◽

pp. 1131-1136 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Yoji Nagai ◽

Mary K Kemper ◽

Christopher J Earley ◽

E.Jeffrey Metter

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Cerebral Arteries ◽

Middle Cerebral Arteries ◽

Blood Flow Velocities ◽

Flow Velocities

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Assessment of carotid and middle cerebral arteries blood flow velocities after stellat ganglion blockade with transcranial doppler ultrasonography

European Journal of Anaesthesiology ◽

10.1097/00003643-200406002-00716 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 21 (Supplement 32) ◽

pp. 197-198

Author(s):

A. Demir ◽

B. Aydinli ◽

U. Karadeniz ◽

A. Elhan ◽

B. Yamak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Transcranial Doppler ◽

Doppler Ultrasonography ◽

Cerebral Arteries ◽

Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography ◽

Middle Cerebral Arteries ◽

Blood Flow Velocities ◽

Flow Velocities

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Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonic Features in Episodic Tension-Type Headache

Cephalalgia ◽

10.1046/j.1468-2982.1992.1205293.x ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 293-296 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Thomas-Martin Wallasch

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Transcranial Doppler ◽

Cerebral Arteries ◽

Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound ◽

Tension Type Headache ◽

Vascular Abnormalities ◽

Blood Flow Velocities ◽

Type Headache ◽

Increased Blood Flow ◽

Flow Velocities

In a pilot study we used transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) to measure cerebral blood flow velocities in 21 headache-free episodic tension-type headache sufferers and in the same number of age- and sex-matched control subjects. We found increased blood flow velocities in the anterior, middle and posterior cerebral arteries and a decreased pulsality index in the middle and posterior cerebral arteries in tension-type headache sufferers compared to controls. Vascular bruits were significantly more frequent in the basal cerebral arteries of the patients compared to controls. There were no significant asymmetries of blood flow velocities in corresponding arteries. The findings suggest a multifactorial pathogenesis in episodic tension type headache including vascular abnormalities.

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