Effect of pulsatile arterial diameter variations on blood flow estimated by Doppler ultrasound

High-resolution measurements of common carotid and femoral arterial diameters have been performed by ultrasound echo devices. When combined with pulsed Doppler measurements of cross-sectional averaged velocity in the same vessels, exact calculations of flow were made possible. The median peak-to-peak pulsatile diameter variations were 0.19 mm (2.8 per cent) in the femoral artery and 0.49 mm (6.7 per cent) in the common carotid artery. Flow values were calculated either by taking the time-averaged diameter as a constant value, or by taking into account the dynamic variations in diameter. In comparing the two values, a quantification of the magnitude of error introduced by the averaging of the diameter was made possible. An error in the range 1.5-3.8 per cent was found for the femoral artery, whereas the error in the common carotid artery was in the range 0.4-3.6 per cent despite the larger amplitude of the pulsations in this vessel.