Correlation Between Carotid Stenosis and Pulsatile Index Measured by Transcranial Doppler

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Vascular Medicine
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Carotid atherosclerosis is a primary cause of stroke, often via embolization from atherosclerotic lesions.
• Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound offers noninvasive, real-time assessment of cerebral blood flow and hemodynamics.
• The pulsatile index (PI) measured by TCD reflects the elasticity of brain blood vessels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between the pulsatile index (PI) of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and basilar artery (BA) and the degree of carotid stenosis.
• To determine if PI values correlate with the severity of carotid stenosis.

Main Methods:

• 140 patients with carotid stenosis were studied at the Neurology Department's Color Doppler and Transcranial Doppler unit.
• Patients underwent extracranial Doppler of carotid arteries and transcranial Doppler of MCA and BA.
• Data was collected between February 2022 and December 2022.

Main Results:

• Mean PI values in the MCA were significantly lower in patients with stenosis up to 50% compared to those with >50% stenosis.
• Mean PI values in the BA showed a similar trend, being significantly lower in patients with stenosis up to 50% versus >50% stenosis.

Conclusions:

• Transcranial Doppler revealed an increased pulsatile index in patients with >50% carotid stenosis compared to those with mild stenosis.
• The pulsatile index should be integrated into neurosonological findings to objectively assess cerebrovascular ischemic event risk.