2018 年 31 巻 3 号 p. 125-129
Purpose: This study is to assess the clinical utility of jugular venous flow pattern by evaluating ultrasonography.
Methods: Consecutive 438 patients who underwent carotid artery ultrasonography were enrolled. They were evaluated jugular vein flow patterns and divided into three types: orthodromic, to-and-fro and antidromic. All of them were received MRA and compared to the flow patterns of ultrasonography. The relationship of jugular venous flow pattern and dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF)/transient global amnesia (TGA) was also assessed.
Results: The to-and-fro or antidromic pattern was significantly associated with older age, but not heart failure, in 81 patients, which was more frequently found on the left side. On MRA, venous flow signals were observed in 28 patients. The to-and-fro or antidromic pattern were more frequently observed on ultrasonography and was significantly associated with venous flow signals on MRA. Four patients who were diagnosed as dAVF showed the orthodromic flow pattern. Twelve patients who were diagnosed as TGA, and five of them showed a to-and-fro or antidromic flow pattern, which was a significantly high frequency.
Conclusions: Assessment of jugular flow patterns by ultrasonography and/or MRA can help the diagnosis of diseases which are supposed to jugular venous flow abnormality.
