Abstract
We examined the common carotid (CCAs) and internal carotid arteries (ICAs) by duplex sonography and the middle cerebal arteries (MCAs) by transcranial color-coded sonography (TCCS) in 50 volunteers (24 men, 26 women; mean age, 35 ± 9 years). We were able to measure the angle-corrected flow velocities of all arteries. The mean ± SD values for the flow velocities in the CCA, ICA, and MCA were 45.2 ± 7.6 cm/sec, 37.9 ± 9.8 cm/sec, and 83.1 ± 21.0 cm/sec, respectively. We analyzed the side-to-side ratio and correlation between the CCA and ICA, CCA and MCA, and ICA and MCA. The side-to-side ratio was calculated by dividing the faster velocity by the slower one. The side-to-side ratios for the CCA, ICA, and MCA were 1.2 ± 0.2, 1.2 ± 0.3, and 1.1 ± 0.1, respectively. There no significant correlation between the CCA and MCA (r=0.26) and ICA and MCA (r=0.30). However, a significant correlation existed between the CCA and ICA (r=0.50). We consider that duplex sonography and TCCS represent a potentialy practical technique for estimating cerebral blood flow. Our data should facilitate the process of defining normal and abnormal flow patterns for the extracerebral and intracerebral arteries.
