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Assessment of cervical carotid artery disease. A comparison between the Doppler "Echoflow" and conventional
Insights
Echoflow ultrasound accurately assesses carotid artery disease, correlating well with angiography. This non-invasive method is recommended as a first-line investigation for stroke risk, reducing the need for routine invasive procedures.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Medicine
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Neurology
Background:
- Carotid artery disease is a primary cause of stroke and cerebrovascular insufficiency.
- Conventional angiography is the gold standard but involves risks and high costs.
- Non-invasive diagnostic techniques are sought to improve patient safety and reduce healthcare expenses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the diagnostic accuracy of a novel ultrasound flowmeter (Echoflow) against conventional angiography.
- To evaluate Echoflow's utility as a non-invasive screening tool for carotid artery disease.
- To determine if Echoflow can effectively guide the selection of patients for further invasive investigation.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 52 patients and 101 carotid arteries was conducted.
- Echoflow, a velocity-sensitive, color-coded Doppler ultrasound flowmeter, was utilized.
- Results were compared with findings from conventional angiography.
Main Results:
- An acceptable correlation between Echoflow and angiography was observed in 78% of the investigated arteries.
- Echoflow demonstrated particular accuracy in identifying normal carotid arteries.
- The study identified Echoflow as a valuable tool for initial patient assessment.
Conclusions:
- Echoflow ultrasound is a reliable non-invasive method for initial investigation of carotid artery disease.
- Its accuracy in assessing normal arteries supports its use as a first-line diagnostic tool.
- Echoflow can aid in selecting patients who require further, more invasive studies like angiography, potentially reducing unnecessary procedures.
Abstract:
Carotid artery disease is an important factor in the aetiology of stroke and cerebrovascular insufficiency. Angiography remains the definitive technique for the investigation of the carotid arteries, but the risk and expense involved has stimulated research into suitable non-invasive techniques. A comparison between a velocity-sensitive, colour-coded Doppler principle ultrasound flowmeter (Echoflow) and conventional angiography was conducted on 52 patients (101 arteries) investigated at Royal Perth Hospital over a 16-month period. An acceptable correlation was found in 78% of cases. Echoflow scanning proved to be particularly accurate in assessing normal arteries. Our results support the use of Echoflow as a first line of investigation, and in aiding the selection of cases requiring further study, although we caution against routine angiography in all patients with positive Echoflow scan results.