ABSTRACT
Objective: To analyze the correlation of carotid artery color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) indices and transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) indices. Methods: The clinical data of 118 hospitalized patients with ischemic cerebrovascular diseases were included in the present study and all of them received CDFI and TCD examination. The patients were divided into two groups according to presence of carotid plaque group; t-test was used to identify the correlation between the presence of carotid plaque and TCD indices. Meanwhile, the patients were also divided into three groups according to the quantity/distribution of plaque) one-way ANOVA(F-test) and student-Newman-Keuls were used to identify the correlation of the quantity/distribution of plaque with TCD indices. The patients with carotid plaque were divided into three groups according to the plaque texture) one-way ANOVA(F-test) and student-Newman-Keuls were used to identify the correlation of the quality of plaque with TCD indices. Meanwhile, linear correlation was used to identify the correlation of the common carotid intimal-medial thickness (CCA IMT) with TCD indices. Results: The resistance index (RI), pulsatile index (PI) and ratio of peak systolic to least diastolic flow velocity (S/D) of bilateral middle cerebral arteries and basal artery in patients with carotid plaque were significantly higher than those in patients without carotid plaque (P<0.05); other TCD indices including Vp, Vd, and Vm were not significantly different. The quantity/distribution of plaque, the quality of plaque and CCA IMT were not correlated with TCD indices. Conclusion: No CDFI indices, except for the presence of carotid plaque, are correlated with TCD indices. Combined application of CDFI and TCD indices can better reflect the structure and hemodynamic status of cerebral vessels.