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Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Ultrasound Assessment of Flow-Mediated Dilation of the Brachial and Superficial Femoral Arteries in Rats
Published on: November 3, 2016
Forearm arterial anatomy and flow characteristics: a prospective observational study
Samir B Pancholy1, Laura A Heck, Tejas Patel
1Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, The Commonwealth Medical College, Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA. pancholy8@gmail.com.
Radial and ulnar artery diameters are similar in the forearm. Compressing the ulnar artery significantly increases radial artery flow, especially in smaller radial arteries, indicating forearm arterial interdependence.
Area of Science:
- Vascular anatomy
- Forearm arterial hemodynamics
Background:
- Limited morphometric data on Caucasian radial and ulnar arteries.
- Lack of data on forearm arterial flow interdependence.
Purpose of the Study:
- Compare radial and ulnar artery diameters in Caucasians.
- Investigate flow interdependence between radial and ulnar arteries in the forearm.
Main Methods:
- Ultrasound assessment of 250 upper extremities from 125 patients.
- Measurement of radial and ulnar artery lumen diameters.
- Duplex Doppler ultrasound to record radial artery flow parameters during ulnar artery compression.
Main Results:
- Comparable radial (2.03 ± 0.28 mm) and ulnar artery (2.07 ± 0.27 mm) diameters.
- Significant increase in radial artery velocity-time integral (VTI) from 8.4 ± 3.8 cm to 12.8 ± 5.5 cm upon ulnar artery compression (P<.001).
- Inverse correlation between radial artery diameter and the VTI increase with ulnar compression (r² = 0.106; P<.001).
Conclusions:
- Radial artery diameter is similar to ulnar artery diameter distally.
- Ulnar artery compression significantly increases radial artery flow (RA-VTI).
- Smaller radial arteries exhibit a greater flow increase upon ulnar artery compression, suggesting functional interdependence.
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