Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 31, 2025

Point of Care Transcranial Color-Coded Duplex Ultrasound of the Middle Cerebral Artery
04:01

Point of Care Transcranial Color-Coded Duplex Ultrasound of the Middle Cerebral Artery

Published on: August 9, 2024

1.7K

Carotid Atherosclerosis is Associated with Middle Cerebral Artery Pulsatility Index

Thea Vigen1,2,3, Håkon Ihle-Hansen4, Magnus N Lyngbakken1,2,5

  • 1Division of Medicine, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.

Journal of Neuroimaging : Official Journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging
|January 1, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Carotid atherosclerosis indices are linked to middle cerebral artery pulsatility index (MCA PI) in adults. However, atherosclerosis and known risk factors explain only a small portion of MCA PI variations.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular Ultrasound
  • Cerebrovascular Disease
  • Cardiovascular Epidemiology

Background:

  • Pulsatility index (PI) in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) reflects peripheral vascular resistance.
  • Cardiovascular risk factors are shared between MCA PI and carotid atherosclerosis.
  • A potential association between carotid atherosclerosis and MCA PI warrants investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between ultrasound-derived indices of carotid atherosclerosis and MCA PI.
  • To determine if carotid atherosclerosis is independently associated with MCA PI after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 3154 individuals (Akershus Cardiac Examination 1950 Study).
  • Carotid artery ultrasound assessed atherosclerosis (plaque score, intima-media thickness).
  • Transcranial Doppler measured MCA PI; regression analyses adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors.

Main Results:

  • Higher MCA PI was associated with increased pulse pressure, hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease history.
  • Both carotid plaque score and intima-media thickness were significantly associated with MCA PI (adjusted analysis).
  • The model explained only 5.5% of the variance in MCA PI (R² = .055).

Conclusions:

  • Ultrasound-derived carotid atherosclerosis indices are independently associated with MCA PI in a population-based sample.
  • The low explained variance suggests other unidentified factors influence MCA PI.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the multifactorial nature of MCA PI regulation.
Abstract

Keywords:
Carotid atherosclerosismiddle cerebral arterypulsatility indextranscranial Dopplerultrasound

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Assessing the Cardiovascular Profile of Patients with Metabolic Syndrome06:04

Author Spotlight: Assessing the Cardiovascular Profile of Patients with Metabolic Syndrome

Published on: September 27, 2024

1.4K
A Magnetic Resonance Imaging-based Computational Protocol for Analysis of Plaque Morphology and Hemodynamics in Patients with Carotid Artery Stenosis09:36

A Magnetic Resonance Imaging-based Computational Protocol for Analysis of Plaque Morphology and Hemodynamics in Patients with Carotid Artery Stenosis

Published on: August 12, 2025

484

Related Concept Videos

Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation01:21

Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation

Clinical manifestationsPeripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) manifests through a range of symptoms, from the characteristic intermittent claudication to atypical presentations and severe complications in advanced stages. Intermittent claudication, a hallmark symptom of PAD, presents as exercise-induced muscle pain that typically resolves within minutes of rest. This pain is reproducible and stems from inadequate blood flow, leading to the accumulation of lactic acid produced during anaerobic...
285
Atherosclerosis II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Tests01:27

Atherosclerosis II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Tests

Atherosclerosis is a progressive disorder that leads to the thickening and narrowing of arterial walls due to plaque buildup. This condition can cause various symptoms depending on the arteries affected:Coronary Artery Disease (CAD): This condition affects the coronary arteries and may lead to chest pain (angina), shortness of breath (dyspnea), heart attacks, and other heart disease symptoms.Cerebrovascular Disease: This affects blood flow to the brain, causing transient ischemic attacks (TIAs)...
397
Peripheral Artery Disease I: Introduction01:30

Peripheral Artery Disease I: Introduction

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) predominantly results from atherosclerosis, which involves the accumulation of fatty deposits, or plaques, within the walls of arteries. This causes them to narrow and harden, significantly reducing blood flow. PAD predominantly affects the legs, particularly the arteries supplying the thighs and calves. In rare cases, it may involve other arteries, including those in the arms.Etiology of PAD:The principal cause of PAD is atherosclerosis, which results from fatty...
253
Pulse01:16

Pulse

When the heart pumps blood out, arterial elastic fibers play a crucial role in sustaining a high-pressure gradient. They expand to accommodate the received blood and then recoil - a process known as the pulse that can be either manually palpated or electronically quantified. Despite a reduction in its effect with increased distance from the heart, elements of the pulse's systolic and diastolic components persist, observable even at the arteriole level.
The pulse serves as a clinical...
1.9K
Blood Pressure01:24

Blood Pressure

The movement of blood in a human body, commonly referred to as blood flow, is determined by the volume of blood that traverses a certain section of the bodily system per unit time. It is the rhythmic contraction of the heart's ventricles that primarily instigates this movement. As the ventricles contract, blood is forced into the prominent arteries, which then flow from areas of greater pressure to lower pressure areas. This movement continues into smaller arteries and arterioles and...
9.2K