Ultrasound vector mapping of common femoral artery blood flow in normal and early-stage stenosis

Abstract

It is assumed that the wall shear stress (WSS), which determines the function of the endothelium, is constant along the arterial bed. The assessment of turbulence, blood flow velocity in the arterial system in healthy (13 patients) and in patients with the initial form of atherosclerosis in the femoral artery (42 patients) was discussed. The study quantified blood flow in the common femoral artery using V Flow with visualization of blood flow with a high frame rate. The results obtained in the femoral arteries were evaluated by the wall shear rate, velocity profile and oscillation index (OSI). It was shown that the average value of WSSmean in the femoral artery in healthy and in patients with stenosis <30–35% is 0.9± 0.4 – 0.91±0.4 Pa and does not significantly differ. The wall thickness in the common femoral artery in patients with the initial form of atherosclerosis was 0.9–1.1 mm, and in healthy patients 0.8–0.9 mm. The correlation between the parameters was evaluated by nonparametric analysis of Kendall’s Taub. It was revealed that there is no correlation between WSSmean and blood flow velocity (Vs) in both healthy and patients with the initial form of atherosclerosis.