Risk Factors of Flow-empty Area in Carotid Artery in Doppler Power Imaging / 中国医学影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Purpose To explore the reason which resulted in the flow-empty area in carotid artery, establishing a logistic regression model of carotid artery by power Doppler ultrasound, screening the risk factors of the occurrence of this phenomenon and analyzing their reasons. Materials and Methods Clinical data of 172 male subjects who had undergone power Doppler ultrasound were analyzed retrospectively, whether there was flow-empty area at the edge of carotid artery lumen during diastole was observed, brachial artery systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and pressure difference, carotid artery intima media thickness, and the existence of atherosclerotic plaques was measured, the age, body mass index (BMI), blood glucose, blood lipid, history of smoking and cerebrovascular accident situation was collected to establish the logistic model to analyze the risk factors resulted in flow-empty area. Results Among the 172 patients, intima media thickened in 89 cases, systolic blood pressure increased in 97 cases, diastolic blood pressure increased in 7 cases, the pulse pressure increased in 90 cases, with the age of 65 years or older in 92 cases, atherosclerotic plaque formation in 84 cases, long smoking history in 63 cases, cerebral vascular accident history in 11 cases, diabetes mellitus in 79 cases, hyperlipidemia in 101 cases, and abnormal BMI in 13 cases. Doppler energy imaging showed flow-empty area wave type in 98 cases, no flow-empty area wave type in 74 cases. 5 statistically significant variables for the occurrence of flow-empty area in carotid artery lumen during diastole were selected using logistic regression, which were carotid artery intima media thickness, BASP, the pressure difference of brachial artery, existence of atherosclerotic plaque, and the age of patients (OR=50.643, 47.248, 29.426, 32.667 and 20.514, P<0.05). Conclusion The risk factors resulted in flow-empty area in carotid artery are increased IMT, systolic BP and pressure difference, existence of atherosclerotic plaque and the age of 65 years or older. The flow-empty area provides hemodynamic information for the diagnosis of atherosclerosis, and it also plays a helping role in evaluating the degree of arteriosclerosis.