On the Doppler signal from a steady flow asymmetrical stenosis model: effects of turbulence

A steady flow model with a 70% (by area) asymmetrical stenosis was used to examine how changing flow regimes (laminar to turbulent) affect the Doppler signal. Human red blood cells (RBCs) (Hct = 42%) in saline were employed at a flow rate corresponding to a Reynold's number of approximately 545. A dilute suspension of 4% fixed RBCs was also used for the purpose of backscattered power comparison. Measurements of the Doppler signal enabled the backscattered power, time domain statistics, frequency spectra, frequency domain statistics, various spectral indices, autocorrelation function and decorrelation time to be calculated as a function of distance from the stenosis. It is shown that the characteristics of the Doppler signal measured at each site provide information on the nature of the insonated flow field and these correlate well with those expected. The results demonstrate that the onset of turbulence not only affects the Doppler spectrum but also has a profound effect on the signal power, the decorrelation time and the signal statistics.