US-based evaluation of hemodynamic parameters in the common carotid artery: a nomogram trial

To evaluate hemodynamic data of the common carotid artery (CCA) with an ultrasound (US)-based technique in an age- and sex-matched healthy population.

Measurements from a color M-mode tracing of each CCA in 205 healthy subjects (age range, 20-87 years) were performed with a time domain processing system. Lumen change of the color M-mode tracing, flow velocity, volume flow rate, and diastolic volume index (DVI) were calculated five times. Blood pressure was measured after the US examination. Fifteen subjects were excluded from the nomogram trial because of hypertension, and 12 and four subjects were excluded because of an asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis or atrial fibrillation, respectively.

Mean volume flow rate in the CCA of the remaining 174 healthy volunteers was 415.0 mL/min +/- 87.0 (men [n = 84], 441.0 mL/min +/- 95.5; women [n = 90], 390.2 mL/min +/- 70.5). The following statistically significant associations were noted: between vessel lumen and sex and blood pressure; between peak systolic velocity and sex and age; between volume flow rate and sex, age, and systolic blood pressure; and between DVI and age, heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Time domain processing is an intrasessionally well-reproducible US method for measuring velocities and volume flow in the CCA.