Radiology, Vol 206, 761-766, Copyright © 1998 by Radiological Society of North America

ARTICLES

Effect of distal resistance on Doppler US flow patterns

EJ Halpern, DA Merton and F Forsberg
Department of Radiology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19107-5244, USA.

PURPOSE: To quantify the effect of distal resistance on arterial flow patterns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Spectral Doppler tracings were obtained from the suprarenal aorta, infrarenal aorta, and proximal renal arteries of 10 volunteers and from the common, internal, and external carotid arteries (CCA, ICA, and ECA, respectively) of 31 volunteers. Early systolic acceleration (ESA), peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), and waveform morphology were evaluated. An in vitro flow model of a compliant vessel in a branched pattern was created to simulate the renal and carotid circulations. RESULTS: ESA and PSV were significantly lower in the renal artery than in the suprarenal aorta (P < .01). ESA decreased significantly from the CCA to the ICA (P < .001) but only minimally from the CCA to the ECA (P > .20). EDV increased slightly from the CCA to the ICA but decreased substantially in the ECA. As distal resistance was increased in the in vitro model, ESA was more rapid, systole was shortened, EDV was decreased, and PSV was increased. CONCLUSION: As blood flows into the low-resistance renal artery or ICA, antegrade flow is shifted into the latter portion of the cardiac cycle, resulting in apparent prolongation of systole and forward flow throughout diastole. As blood flows into the higher-resistance ECA, diastolic flow is diminished. The in vitro model reproduces these Doppler flow patterns by means of manipulation of distal resistance.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. Vicenzini, M. C. Ricciardi, F. Puccinelli, M. Altieri, N. Vanacore, V. Di Piero, and G. L. Lenzi Common Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness Determinants in a Population Study J. Ultrasound Med., April 1, 2007; 26(4): 427 - 432. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. A. Wright, F. M. O'Prey, D. J. Rea, R. D. Plumb, A. J. Gamble, W. J. Leahey, A. B. Devine, R. C. McGivern, D. G. Johnston, M. B. Finch, et al. Microcirculatory Hemodynamics and Endothelial Dysfunction in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., October 1, 2006; 26(10): 2281 - 2287. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Williams and C. Kocer Vascular Reactivity in Preeclampsia Assessed Noninvasively Using Maternal Brachial Artery Hyperemic Response Obstet. Gynecol., November 1, 2004; 104(5): 1025 - 1029. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Tsuchiya, E. Suzuki, K. Egawa, Y. Nishio, H. Maegawa, S. Inoue, K. Mitsunami, S. Morikawa, T. Inubushi, and A. Kashiwagi Stiffness and Impaired Blood Flow in Lower-Leg Arteries Are Associated With Severity of Coronary Artery Calcification Among Asymptomatic Type 2 Diabetic Patients Diabetes Care, October 1, 2004; 27(10): 2409 - 2415. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Soulez, E. Therasse, S. D. Qanadli, D. Froment, M. Leveille, V. Nicolet, S. Turpin, M.-F. Giroux, M. C. Guertin, and V. L. Oliva Prediction of Clinical Response After Renal Angioplasty: Respective Value of Renal Doppler Sonography and Scintigraphy Am. J. Roentgenol., October 1, 2003; 181(4): 1029 - 1035. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Suzuki, A. Kashiwagi, Y. Nishio, K. Egawa, S. Shimizu, H. Maegawa, M. Haneda, H. Yasuda, S. Morikawa, T. Inubushi, et al. Increased Arterial Wall Stiffness Limits Flow Volume in the Lower Extremities in Type 2 Diabetic Patients Diabetes Care, December 1, 2001; 24(12): 2107 - 2114. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Kito, M. Nagino, and Y. Nimura Doppler Sonography of Hepatic Arterial Blood Flow Velocity After Percutaneous Transhepatic Portal Vein Embolization Am. J. Roentgenol., April 1, 2001; 176(4): 909 - 912. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Polska, K. Kircher, P. Ehrlich, P. V. Vecsei, and L. Schmetterer RI in central retinal artery as assessed by CDI does not correspond to retinal vascular resistance Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, April 1, 2001; 280(4): H1442 - H1447. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. O. Bude and J. M. Rubin Effect of Downstream Cross-sectional Area of an Arterial Bed on the Resistive Index and the Early Systolic Acceleration Radiology, September 1, 1999; 212(3): 732 - 738. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R. O. Bude, R. G. Larson, W. W. Nichols, and J. M. Rubin Stenosis of the Main Artery Supplying an Organ: Effect of End-Organ Vascular Resistance on the Poststenotic Peak Systolic Velocity in an in Vitro Hydraulic Model at Doppler US Radiology, July 1, 1999; 212(1): 79 - 87. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R. O. Bude and J. M. Rubin Relationship between the Resistive Index and Vascular Compliance and Resistance Radiology, May 1, 1999; 211(2): 411 - 417. [Abstract] [Full Text]