[Color-coded duplex ultrasound and laser Doppler flowmetry of finger tips of healthy probands]

In the study presented, color-coded duplex sonography (CCDS) and laser Doppler flux (LDF) signals from finger tips of 7 healthy individuals were recorded simultaneously. The aim of the study was to examine whether or not the results of a functional test ('deep inspiration') could also be observed with an ultrasonic Doppler. In the literature this test is known to provoke notable blood flow characteristics of the LDF ('inspiratory gasp'), a phenomenon which is caused by a sympathetically mediated vasoconstriction of acral vessels. With regard to the penetration depth of the LDF in skin it was of further interest to determine the distance between the surface of the skin and the vessels found near the surface. We found for CCDS parameters (color pixels/image; time-averaged flow velocity [TAV]; resistance index [RI]) as well as for LDF (flux [taLDF]) significant changes before versus after 'deep inspiration'. CCDS is a new diagnostic tool to visualize also very small vessels down to 0.2 mm, e.g. in finger tips. It should be evaluated which role this method may play in combination with functional tests in diagnostic handling, e.g. of patients with polyneuropathies or collagenoses.