• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.87-93
• /
• 2009

Background/aim : Atherosclerotic disease at the origin of the vertebral arteries is one of the risk factors for vertebrobasilar ischemic disease. Assessment and visualization of the origin of the vertebral arteries with color doppler sonography is a non-trivial task. The aim of this study is to increase the visualization rate of the origin of the vertebral arteries with color doppler sonography. Materials and Methods : Color doppler sonography for the vertebral arteries included carotid arteries was performed to 198 patients. We first examined the vertebral artery in the upper neck in the direction of the subclavian artery to distinguish its origin more easily. If the vertebral artery origin was not visualized in natural position, the examiner pushed the transducer toward a clavicle or pushed the shoulder of patient by the other hand. The technical methods for visualization of the vertebral artery origin were classified into three grades: natural position, pushing the transducer, and pushing the shoulder of patient according to the depth (3.0 cm and shallower, deeper than 3.0 cm) of the origin. Results : The origin of the vertebral arteries could be visualized in 97% on the right and in 92% on the left. The origin of the vertebral arteries could be visualized in 98.6%, 1.4%, and 0.0% in natural position, pushing the transducer, and pushing the shoulder of patient, respectively, at shallower than 3.0 cm on the right side. The origin of the vertebral arteries could be visualized in 81.2%, 14.6%, and 4.2% in natural position, pushing the transducer, and pushing the shoulder of patient, respectively, at deeper than 3.0 cm on the right side. The origin of the vertebral arteries could be visualized in 85.4%, 10.7%, and 3.9% in natural position, pushing the transducer, and pushing the shoulder of patient, respectively, at shallower than 3.0 cm on the left side. The origin of the vertebral arteries could be visualized in 55.7%, 30.4%, and 13.9% in natural position, pushing the transducer, and pushing the shoulder of patient, respectively, at deeper than 3.0 cm on the left side. Conclusion : If the examiner pushes the transducer toward a clavicle or pushes the shoulder of patient by the other hand, when the vertebral artery origin during the color doppler sonography is not visualized in natural position, visualization rate of the origin of the both vertebral arteries is increased.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.80-85
• /
• 2002

Purpose: This study is to assess the involvement of vessels in lower extremity in diabetics, using color doppler ultrasonogram. Materials and Methods: Arteries of both lower extremities were divided into 3 groups-large vessel (above-knee arteries), popliteal vessel, and small vessel(below-knee arteries) -, and evaluated using color doppler ultrasonogram in 60 diabetics. In color doppler ultrasonogram, the wave forms of all vessels were divided into 5 grades; grade I was triphasic wave form, grade II was spectral broadening form, grade III was monophasic wave form, grade IV was pulsus tardus et parvus form, grade V was absence of wave. Grade III, IV, V were grouped into vessel obstruction. We reviewed the correlationships among the degree of the peripheral vascular involvement, duration of dibetes, existence of bilaterality, types of dibetes. Results: Bilateral involvement was high in both lower extremity. Luminal stenosis, vascular calcification and vessel obstruction were high incidence in the patients over ten years of diabetic duration. Prevalence of vascular calcification and vessel obstruction were high in the small vessel of ankle level. But, insulin injection was not related to the incidence of vascular abnormality. Conclusion: Color doppler ultrasonogram seems to be useful for evaluation of peripheral vascular status, decision making for necessity of additional test, periodic follow -up tool in diabetes patients.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.43-51
• /
• 2005

Background: To examine the ultrasonographic and magnetic resonance (MRI) imaging findings of a cervical mass type cervical pregnancy. Materials and Methods: The ultrasonographic and MRI findings of 5 patients pathologically confirmed as having a cervical pregnancy were analyzed retrospectively. On ultrasonography, the size and echo pattern of the uterine cervix, the shape and echo pattern of the lesion, the degree and the pattern of blood flow on the color Doppler study and the spectral Doppler pattern were analyzed. The shape, signal intensity, and degree and pattern of enhancement of the lesion were evaluated on MRI. Results: The uterine cervix was enlarged and the size of the lesion was 6.1 to 7.1 (average, 6.5) cm. The endocervical canal was irregularly dilated and showed heterogeneous echogenicity in all 5 cases. Four of the 5 lesions were heterogeneously hyper- or mixed echoic and remaining one was relatively homogeneous echogenic. Doppler ultrasonography revealed an increased vascularity of the peritrophoblastic flow pattern. In all 4 cases where MRI performed, the lesion was irregular in shape and the margin was not sharply demarcated. The T2-weighed image showed that the lesions were mixed signal intensity. Three of the 4 lesions contained high signal intensity nodular portions and a low signal intensity rim was observed along the margin of the nodular portions. The T1-weighted image revealed multiple signal voids along the periphery of the lesions and high signal intensity portions as a result of hemorrhage were noted. The dynamic enhanced study showed that the high signal intensity portions on the T2-weighted image were strongly enhanced similar to the vessels on the early phase and the contrast enhancement gradually decreased with time. Conclusion: A cervical mass type cervical pregnancy can be correctly diagnosed using the patient's clinical symptom, the elevation in the serum ${\beta}$-HCG level, and characteristic ultrasonographic and MRI findings.