[The diagnosis of stenoses and occlusions of the carotid arteries by means of directional Dopplersonography (author's transl)]

Abstract

The Doppler examination of the carotid arteries in the neck was compared with the results of the examination of the supratrochlear artery and of the angiographic controls in 76 patients. The results of this study indicate that the insonation of the carotid arteries considerably improves the diagnostic possibilities offered by the examination of the supratrochlear artery alone. There are three main advantages: 1. The reliability of the Doppler examination is improved. The insonation of the carotid arteries of the 76 angiographically controlled patients including stenoses from 50% onward gave only one false-positive and one false-negative result. The percentage of correct diagnoses thereby attained was 97%. 2. The insonation of the carotid arteries permits reliable differentiation between stenoses and occlusions. This is not possible by the insonation of the supratrochlear artery alone. There was only one case in which the distinction was wrong. 3. The localization of the pathologic process was possible in all cases. These conclusions are only valid for the detection of occlusions and stenoses of more than 50%. Low degree stenoses cannot be detected by this method.