[The significance of duplex ultrasonography examination in the acute cardioembolic stroke patients--with special attention to evaluation of internal carotid arteries]

Abstract

The aim of this study is to clarify whether it is possible to diagnose occlusions of internal carotid arteries in the acute cardioembolic stroke patients by observing internal carotid arteries with duplex ultrasonography. Twenty-two consecutive patients underwent both duplex ultrasonography examination and cerebral angiography within 24 hours from the onset. Two cases who had no flow velocity and 8 cases who had systolic flow velocity but no anterograde diastolic flow velocity were all diagnosed as having internal carotid occlusions by cerebral angiography. Eleven of 22 cases who had anterograde diastolic flow velocity were diagnosed as having occlusions at distal side of M 1 portion or no occluded lesions. Besides, among 11 cases who were diagnosed as having occlusions of internal carotid arteries by cerebral angiography, five had end diastolic ratios (ED ratio) of common carotid arteries that were less than 4.0s. It is useful to evaluate the existence of anterograde diastolic flow velocity by duplex ultrasonography for the diagnosis of internal carotid occlusions in the acute cardioembolic stroke patients.