Progress of research in the application of ultrasound technology for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder defined by decreased reasoning abilities,memory loss,and cognitive deterioration.The presence of the blood-brain barrier presents a major obstacle to the development of effective drug therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.The use of ultrasound as a novel physical modulation approach has garnered widespread attention in recent years.As a safe and feasible therapeutic and drug-delivery method,ultrasound has shown promise in improving cognitive deficits.This article provides a summary of the application of ultrasound technology for treating Alzheimer’s disease over the past 5 years,including standalone ultrasound treatment,ultrasound combined with microbubbles or drug therapy,and magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound therapy.Emphasis is placed on the benefits of introducing these treatment methods and their potential mechanisms.We found that several ultrasound methods can open the blood-brain barrier and effectively alleviate amyloid-βplaque deposition.We believe that ultrasound is an effective therapy for Alzheimer’s disease,and this review provides a theoretical basis for future ultrasound treatment methods.

Hemodynamic analysis of esophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis using color Doppler ultrasound

AIM： To study the portal hemodynamics and their relationship with the size of esophageal varices seen at endoscopy and to evaluate whether these Doppler ultrasound parameters might predict variceal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. METHODS： One hundred and twenty cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices but without any previous bleeding were enrolled in the prospective study. During a 2-year observation period, 52 patients who had at least one episode of acute esophageal variceal hemorrhage constituted the bleeding group, and the remaining 68 patients without any previous hemorrhage constituted the non-bleeding group. All patients underwent endoscopy before or after color Doppler-ultrasonic examination, and images were interpreted independently by two endoscopists. The control group consisted of 30 healthy subjects, matched to the patient group in age and gender. Measurements of diameter, flow direction and flow velocity in the left gastric vein （LGV） and the portal vein （PV） were done in all patients and controls using color Doppler unit. After baseline measurements, 30 min after oral administration of 75 g glucose in 225 mL, changes of the diameter, flow velocity and direction in the PV and LGV were examined in 60 patients with esophageal varices and 15 healthy controls. RESULTS： The PV and LGV were detected successfully in 115 （96%） and 105 （88%） of 120 cirrhotic patients, respectively, and in 27 （90%） and 21 （70%） of 30 healthy controls, respectively. Among the 120 cirrhotic patients, 37 had F1, 59 had F2, and 24 had F3 grade varices. Compared with the healthy controls, cirrhotic group had a significantly lower velocity in the PV, a significantly greater diameter of the PV and LGV, and a higher velocity in the LGV. In the cirrhotic group, no difference in portal flow velocity and diameter were observed between patients with or without esophageal variceal bleeding （EVB）. However, the diameter and blood flow velocity of the LGV were significantly higher for EVB （＋） group compared with EVB （-） group （P〈0.01）. Diameter of the LGV increased with enlarged size of varices. There were differences between F1 and F2, F1 and F3 varices, but no differences between F2 and F3 varices （P = 0.125）. However, variceal bleeding was more frequent in patients with a diameter of LGV 〉6 mm. The flow velocity in the LGV of healthy controls was 8.70＋1.91 cm/s （n = 21）. In patients with liver cirrhosis, it was 10.3＋2.1 cm/s （n = 12） when the flow was hepatopetal and 13.5＋2.3 cm/s （n = 87） when it was hepatofugal. As the size of varices enlarged, hepatofugal flow velocity increased （P〈0.01） and was significantly different between patients with F1 and F2 varices and between patients with F2 and F3 varices. Variceal bleeding was more frequent in patients with a hepatofugal flow velocity 〉15 cm/s （32 of 52 patients, 61.5%）. Within the bleeding group, the mean LGV blood flow velocity was 16.6＋2.62 cm/s. No correlation was observed between the portal blood flow velocity and EVB. In all healthy controls, the flow direction in the LGV was hepatopetal, toward the PV. In patients with F1 varices, flow direction was hepatopetal in 10 patients, to-and-fro state in 3 patients, and hepatofugal in the remaining 18. The flow was hepatofugal in 91% patients with F2 and all F3 varices. Changes in diameter of the PV and LGV were not significant before and after ingestion of glucose （PV： 1.41＋1.5 cm before and 1.46＋1.6 cm after; LGV： 0.57＋1.7 cm before and 0.60＋1.5 cm after）. Flow direction in the LGV was hepatopetal and to-and-fro in 16 patients and hepatofugal in 44 patients before ingestion of glucose. Flow direction changed to hepatofugal in 9 of 16 patients with hepatopetal and to-and-fro blood flow after ingestion of glucose. In 44 patients with hepatofugal blood flow in the LGV, a significant increase in hepatofugal flow velocity was observed in 38 of 44 patients （86%） with esophageal varices. There was a relationship between the percentage changes in flow velocity and the size of varices. Patients who responded excessively to food ingestion might have a high risk for bleeding. The changes of blood flow velocity in the LGV were greater than those in the PV （LGV： 28.3＋26.1%, PV： 7.2＋13.2%, P〈0.01）, whereas no significant changes in the LGV occurred before and after ingestion of glucose in the control subjects. CONCLUSION： Hemodynamics of the PV is unrelated to the degree of endoscopic abnormalities in patients with liver cirrhosis. The most important combinations are endoscopic findings followed by the LGV hemodynamics. Duplex-Doppler ultrasonography has no value in the identification of patients with cirrhosis at risk of variceal bleeding. Hemodynamics of the LGV appears to be superior to those of the PV in predicting bleeding.

Clinical Evaluation of Color Doppler Ultrasound in Selecting the Optimal Treatment Modality for Infantile Hemangioma

Objective We investigated the efficacy and safety of 1064 nm Nd： YAG laser, intense pulsed light （IPL）, and lauromacrogol injection in the treatment of hemangioma, in order to evaluate the value of color Doppler ultrasound guidance in choosing the optimal treatment modality. Methods Infantile patients who were clinical diagnosed as hemangiomas were randomly divided into group A, who had color Doppler ultrasound examinations before the treatment, and group B who had the treatment without ultrasound evaluation. Patients in the group A were assigned into subgroups according to the depth of lesion by sonography： group A-1 for those who had a lesion depth 〈1.2 mm, and took intense pulsed light therapy; group A-2 for those who had a lesion depth ≥1.2mm and 〈 3 mm, and took long pulse 1064 nm Nd：YAG laser therapy; group A-3 for those who had a lesion depth ≥3mm and 〈5 mm, and were treated by IPL combined with long pulse 1064 nm Nd：YAG laser treatment; Group A-4 for those who had a lesion depth ≥5 mm, and took lauromacrogol injection therapy. Patients in the group B took long pulse 1064 nm Nd：YAG laser treatment without preoperative ultrasound evaluation. The efficacy and adverse reactions of the treatments between the groups were evaluated and compared statistically. Results Totally 113 patients with 128 skin lesions were enrolled in this study, 85 in the group A （mean age 6.8±7.9 months） and 28 in the group B （mean age 6.9±9.9 months）. The mean depth of hemangioma was 3.3±1.1 mm in the group A, ranging from 0.5-7.8 mm, with 0.8±0.4 mm, 2.2±0.4 mm, 4.2±0.6 mm and 6.2±0.7 mm in group A1, A2, A3 and A4, respectively. The cure rates and effective rates in the group A were significantly higher than those in the group B （cure rates： 64.5% vs 56.3%, U=3.378, P=0.045; effective rates： 89.5% vs 78.1%, U=4.163, P=0.041）. The adverse effect rates of the group A （vesicle 20.0%, pigmentation 46.9%, scarring 17.7%） were lower than those of the group B （vesicle 21.9%, pigmentation 60.4%, scarring 25.0%）. Incidences of pigmentation and scarring were statistically significantly different （U=3.884, P=0.034, and U=4.016, P=0.032 respectively） between the two groups. Conclusion With the guidance of color Doppler ultrasound, the efficacy and safety of long pulse 1064 nmNd：YAG laser, intense pulsed light, and lauromacrogol injection in the treatment of infantile hemangioma have better outcomes compared to laser treatment alone without preoperative ultrasound examination.

FEASIBILITY STUDY OF AN ULTRASOUND CONTRAST AGENT(LEVOVIST) IN COLOR DOPPLER IMAGING OF LIVER NEOPLASMS

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of using an ultrasound contrast agent(levovist)to enhance the color Doppler imaging of liver neoplasms.Thirty patients with hepatic tumors were enrolled in this study.After intravenous administration of levovist,the color Doppler signals of normal hepatic vessels were enhanced.In various hepatic tumors,the different patterns of tumor vascularity were observed,which had not been demonstrated in conventional non contrast color Doppler imaging.In 11 of 16 patients with hepatocarcinoma,additional color Doppler signals were observed in the central part of the tumors.On the contrary,3 patients with metastatic liver lesions the enhanced color Doppler signals appear only at the peripheral of tumors.A typical rim like color enhancement was seen in 2 of the 3 cases.In six patients with hepatic hemangiomas contrast enhanced color Doppler imaging demonstrated the blood vessels at the margin of the neoplasms.Contrast enhanced color Doppler imaging improves the visualization of the hepatic neoplasm vascularity.This technique holds great promise for detecting small liver tumors and differentiating hepatic neoplasms.

Pulsed Umbilical Artery Doppler Ultrasound Findings in Management of High-Risk Term Pregnant Women during Labour

Purpose: Intrapartum Doppler velocimetry is a non-invasive investigation method. This method is useful for evaluating the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying changes in fetal heart rate. This study aimed to determine the usefulness of Doppler ultrasound findings during labor in high-risk women on determining the mode of delivery and outcome of the newborn. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015 on 100 high-risk pregnant women during labor. The study was performed in the Maternity Teaching Hospital in Erbil City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Results: The majority of women (77%) had a normal end-diastolic blood flow pattern through the umbilical artery. A total of 76.9% of those with abnormal Doppler results had a Cesarean delivery compared with only 9.5% of those with normal Doppler results (p p p = 0.07) and fifth minutes (p = 0.01). Conclusions: Abnormal umbilical artery Doppler ultrasound findings in high-risk pregnancies for women in labor are associated with increased rates of emergency cesarean sections and a poor outcome of the newborn.

Pulse wave Doppler ultrasound of testicular arteries and their relationship with semen characteristics in healthy bulls

Background: Semen evaluation is used to estimate the testicular function. In bulls, the spermatozoa present in the ejaculate are the result of a process that begun more than 2 mo earlier, bequeathing a delayed depiction of the actual function of the testis. Since testis vascularization might be critical for the gonad function, selected pulse wave Doppler ultrasound parameters were assessed in this study, for instance the peak systolic velocity, the end diastolic velocity and the resistive index of the testicular artery along the spermatic cord, the marginal portion of the testicular artery and the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery both in healthy adult and young bulls.Correlations between these parameters and characteristics of semen that was collected numerous times, before and after the Doppler ultrasound examination.Results: The peak systolic velocity and the end diastolic velocity measured in the testicular artery along the spermatic cord(supratesticular artery – SA) were variable among the bulls and within individual bulls, likely due to the convoluted course of the vessel. The resistive index was found highly repeatable in the same bull. A reduction in the resistive index was found between the supratesticular artery and the marginal portion of the testicular artery(P < 0.01), and between the marginal portion of the testicular artery and the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery(P < 0.05). No differences were recorded for the pulse wave Doppler ultrasound parameters in young bulls compared with adults. A significant correlation was found between the resistive index of the marginal portion of the testicular artery and total sperm in the ejaculate(r = 0.516, P < 0.05), the immature sperm(r = 0.462, P < 0.05), the teratoid sperm(r = 0.375, P < 0.05), and the "Dag defect" sperm(r = 0.389, P < 0.05). Similarly, the resistive index of the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery were found correlated with the total sperm number in the ejaculate(r = 0.568, P < 0.05), the immature sperm(r = 0.523, P < 0.05), the teratoid sperm(r = 0.418, P < 0.05), and the "Dag defect" sperm(r = 0.341, P < 0.05).Conclusions: The data presented in this study suggest that the resistive index, measured at the marginal portion of the testicular artery, could be an easy-to-perform parameter to evaluate the spermatogenesis quality in young bulls and normal adults.

Hemodynamic Changes on Color Doppler Flow Imaging and Intravenous Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound for Assessing Transplanted Liver and Early Diagnosis of Complications

The value of color Doppler flow imaging （CDFI） and intravenous contrast-enhanced ultrasound （CEUS） for assessing the transplanted liver and early diagnosing complications by examining hemodynamic changes was discussed. Seventy-five patients with orthotopic liver transplantation （OLT） underwent CDFI. The following parameters were measured： peak systolic velocity （PS）, resistance index （RI） and Doppler perfusion index （DPI） of the hepatic artery （HA）, time average velocity （TAV） of portal vein （PV） and velocity of hepatic vein （HV） in different stages postoperation, And 11 patients of them received CEUS. Thirty healthy subjects were enrolled as controls, The results showed that： （1） In 23 patients without obvious complications, TAV of PV within 15 days post-operation was significantly higher than in controls （P〈0.05）, PS and DPI of HA within 7 days postoperation were lower, but RI was higher than in controls （P〈0.05）; （2） When the hepatic artery thrombosis （HAT） occurred, PS and DPI of HA were obviously decreased, but TAV of PV significantly increased like a high saw-tooth wave; （3） While rejection occurred, both TAV of PV and PS of HA were decreased with the increase in RI of HA, and the triphasic wave of HV disappeared and displayed as saw-tooth wave; （4） The incidence of biliary complications in liver transplantation was increased when DPI was reduced; （5） Seven cases of hepatic carcinoma relapse after OLT demonstrated hyperecho in the arterial phase and hypoecho in the portal and later phase on CEUS; （6） In 2 cases of HA thrombus, there was no visualized enhancement in arterial phase of CEUS, but enhancement during the portal vein and parenchymal phase. It was concluded that the hemodynamic changes of PV, HA and HV in the transplanted liver are valuable for assessing the transplanted liver and early diagnosing complications on CDFI and CEUS.

The Diagnostic Value of Color Doppler Ultrasound and Grey Scale Sonography in Predicting the Malignancy of Thyroid Nodules

Retrospective study was done at KAUH to determine the sonographic characteristics in predicting the malignancy of thyroid nodules. The sample was 120 patients consisting of 70 benign nodules and 50 malignant nodules. Out of 120 patients, 106 (88.3%) female and 14 (11.7%) male patients. Out of 106 female patients, 64 (91.45) had benign and 42 had malignant thyroid nodules. Out of 14 (11.7) male patients, 6 had benign and 8 had malignant thyroid nodules. The youngest patient in our study was 31 years and the oldest patient was 76 years. The common range of patients age was ≥ 60 years and consisting of twenty (28.6%) benign thyroid nodules and fourteen (28%) malignant thyroid nodules. The majority of patients’ age group with malignant thyroid nodules were between 50 - 60 years and consisting of twenty (40%) malignant nodules. In our study, according to the result of gray scale and color Doppler ultrasonography, hypo-echogenicity, solid echo structure, micro-calcification and intra-nodular vascularity were the significant characteristics of malignancy in nodules with sensitivity (72%, 74%, 48% and 88% respectively), specificity (66%, 63%, 94% and 69% respectively), PPV (60%, 59%, 86% and 67% respectively) and NPV (77%, 77%, 72% and 89% respectively).

Assessment of Uterine Receptivity by Endometrial and Subendometrial Blood Flows Measured by Vaginal Color Doppler Ultrasound in Women Undergoing IVF Treatment

Objective To evaluate endometrial and subendometrial blood flows measured by vaginal color Doppler ultrasound as a predicator of endometrial receptivity in women undergoing IVF treatment. Methods A total of 119 infertile patients undergoing the first IVF/ICSI-ET cycle were recruited. Three groups were divided according to a color Doppler ultrasound examination performed on the day of hCG injection. Group A, endometrial and subendometrial blood flows were 2 branches and below; group B, endometrial and subendometrial blood flows were between 3 and 4 branches; group C, endometrial and subendometrial blood flows were 5 branches and above. Patients were transferred 1-3 embryos each. Demographic data, ovarian responses, endometrial thickness, PI, RI, development of embryo and IVF result among groups were compared. Results Demographic data, ovarian responses, endometrial thickness, PI, RI and development of embryo among groups have no significant difference. The pregnancy rate of group A was significantly lower than that of group B （P〈0.05） and group C （P〈0.01）. The implantation rate of group A was significantly lower than than of group C （P〈0.01）. There was no significant difference of the rate of pregnancy and implantation between group B and group C （P〉0.05）. Conclusion Endometrial and subendometrial blood flows measured by vaginal color Doppler ultrasound is a good predicator of pregnancy during IVF treatment. A good endometrial and subendometrial blood flows is benefit for the result of IVF.

Point of care venous Doppler ultrasound: Exploring the missing piece of bedside hemodynamic assessment

Accurate assessment of the hemodynamic status is vital for appropriate management of patients with critical illness.As such,there has been a constant quest for reliable and non-invasive bedside tools to assess and monitor circulatory status in order to ensure end-organ perfusion.In the recent past,point of care ultrasonography(POCUS)has emerged as a valuable adjunct to physical examination in various specialties,which basically is a clinician-performed bedside ultrasound to answer focused questions.POCUS allows visualization of the internal anatomy and flow dynamics in real time,guiding apt interventions.While both arterial(forward flow)and venous(organ outflow or afterload)limbs of hemodynamic circuit are important for tissue perfusion,the venous side remains relatively under-explored.With recent data underscoring the deleterious consequences of iatrogenic volume overload,objective evaluation of venous congestion is gaining attention.Bedside Doppler ultrasound serves this purpose and aids in diagnosing and monitoring the congestion/venous blood flow pattern.In this article,we summarize the rationale for integrating this technology into routine care of patients with volume-related disorders,discuss the normal and abnormal waveforms,limitations,and future directions.

Contrast enhanced endoscopic ultrasound: More than just a fancy Doppler

Contrast enhanced endoscopic ultrasound(CEUS)is a new modality that takes advantage of vascular structure and blood flow to distinguish different clinical entities.Contrast agents are microbubbles that oscillate when exposed to ultrasonographic waves resulting in characteristic acoustic signals that are then converted to colour images.This permits exquisite imaging of macroand microvasculature,providing information to help delineate malignant from non-malignant processes.The use of CEUS may significantly increase the sensitivity and specificity over conventional endoscopic ultrasound.Currently available contrast agents are safe,with infrequent adverse effects.This review summarizes the theory and technique behind CEUS and the current and future clinical applications.

Use of doppler ultrasound to predict need for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt revision

BACKGROUND Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)is used to treat complications of portal hypertension,such as ascites and variceal bleeding(VB).While liver doppler ultrasound(DUS)is used to assess TIPS patency,trans-shunt venography(TSV)is the gold standard.AIM To determine the accuracy of DUS to assess TIPS dysfunction and for need for revision.METHODS Retrospective review of patients referred for TIPS revision from 2008-2021.Demographics,DUS parameters at baseline and at the DUS preceding TIPS revision,TSV data were collected.Receiver operating characteristics curves,sensitivity,specificity,performance for doppler to predict need for revision were performed.Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to predict clinical factors associated with need for TIPS revision.RESULTS The cohort consisted of 89 patients with cirrhosis(64%men,76%white,31%alcohol as etiology);median age 59 years.Indication for initial TIPS were VB(41%),refractory ascites(51%),and other(8%).TIPS was revised in 44%.On univariate analysis,factors associated with need for TIPS revision were male(P=0.03),initial indication for TIPS(P=0.05)and indication for revision(P=0.01).Revision of TIPS was associated with lower mortality(26%vs 46%)and significantly lower rates of transplant(13%vs 24%;P=0.1).In predicting need for TIPS revision,DUS has a 40%sensitivity,45%specificity,PPV 78%,and NPV 14%.The most accurate location for shunt velocity measure was distal velocity(Area under the curve:0.79;P=0.0007).CONCLUSION DUS has poor overall sensitivity and specificity in predicting need for TIPS revision.Non-invasive methods of predicting TIPS dysfunction are needed since those needing TIPS revision had better survival.

Doppler Ultrasound Abnormalities of the Lower Limbs in Patients with Diabetic Foot at the Yopougon University Hospital in Ivory Coast

Background: Diabetic foot is a frequent complication of diabetes, of multifactorial origin, associating nervous and/or circulatory disorders to which infection is often added. Its care is multidisciplinary and requires coordination between different actors. In this context, arterial doppler ultrasound is essential in the diagnosis of diabetic arteriopathy and participates in therapeutic decision-making. The aim of this study was to describe the abnormalities found on Doppler ultrasonography of patients hospitalized for the diabetic foot in the Ivory Coast. Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study including 235 patients hospitalized for the diabetic foot in the Endocrinology department of the Yopougon University Hospital from February 2002 to December 2015. All records of patients who performed arterial Doppler ultrasound of the lower limbs were selected and the various abnormalities were described. Results: The sex ratio (M/F) was 1.1 (124 men to 111 women). The predominant age group was 61.2 years. Type 2 diabetes was found in 97.4% of cases. The average evolution of diabetes was 8.9 years with extremes of 1 and 32 years. Wet gangrene was the most common type of lesion found in 75.8% of cases. On ultrasonography, 98.7% of the patients had an arterial abnormality of the lower limbs. It was bilateral in 62.2% of cases, dominated by atheromatous overloads and mediacalcosis in 46.4% and 43.8% of cases, respectively. Arterial stenosis was lesions hemodynamically found in 76.3% of cases and arterial occlusions in 32.7% of cases. The amputation rate was 72.7%. Conclusion: This study shows the high frequency of arterial abnormalities in patients with the diabetic foot with a predominantly distal involvement. Arterial Doppler ultrasound of the lower limbs remains an essential tool in the care of diabetic foot. This easily accessible, non-invasive examination has a key role in therapeutic decision-making.

Doppler Ultrasound of Hepatic Vessels in the Diagnosis of Cirrhosis of the Liver in Togo

The aim of this work is to evaluate the role of Ultrasound-Doppler in the hemodynamic study of hepatic vessels during the liver cirrhosis in Togo. Method: This was an analytic cross-sectional study that measured the velocimetric parameters of hepatic vessels in cirrhotic patients and in non-cirrhotic patients. Results: The velocimetric parameters of the hepatic artery, the portal vein, and the hepatic veins were measured in 50 cirrhotic patients and 50 non-cirrhotic The caliber of the portal vein was significantly increased in cirrhotic patients compared to non-cirrhotic patients with 13.11 ± 2.16 mm versus 11.45 ± 1.02 (p Conclusion: The hemodynamic study of the hepatic vessels can and must rightly be a diagnostic argument for liver cirrhosis.

Early warning study of color doppler ultrasound in children with thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer

Objective: To study the diagnostic value of color doppler ultrasound in children with thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer. Methods: A total of sixty children with thyroid nodules treated in our hospital from March 2017 to March 2018 were selected for study. All patients underwent color Doppler ultrasound diagnosis. According to the diagnostic data, benign thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer were analyzed. The nodule nature was grouped into benign nodules group and malignant nodules group. The aspect ratio and boundary of the two groups were compared in blurring, calcification, blood flow signal classification, etc. Results: A total of 95 nodules were diagnosed by color doppler ultrasonography in 60 cases of thyroid nodules. 49 cases were benign nodules. There were 80 nodules, accounting for 82.11%, 11 cases of thyroid cancer, and 15 nodules. Accounted for 15.79%. Biopsy puncture pathology confirmed 77 benign nodules and 18 malignant nodules. The pathological results were gold standard. The specificity of color Doppler ultrasound was 90%, the sensitivity was 66.67%, and the accuracy of ultrasound diagnosis was 86.32%.The two nodules were statistically significant in terms of boundary, aspect ratio, calcification, echo, and resistance index (P<0.05), but the end-diastolic blood flow velocity (EDV) and peak systolic blood flow velocity ( There was no statistical difference between the PSV levels (P>0.05).Conclusion: Color Doppler ultrasound has the advantages of simple operation, high accuracy, non-invasive and painless, and reproducible detection. The high-frequency probe can clearly display changes such as minute lesions, blood flow signals, echoes, calcifications, etc., and can diagnose thyroid cancer in time. It provides a favorable basis for clinical treatment and has important clinical warning value, especially for children with thyroid examination.

The Role of Color Doppler Ultrasound Arterial Mapping for Decision Making in the Treatment of Patients with Lower Extremity Peripheral Arterial Disease

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of color Doppler imaging for decision making in the treatment of patients with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) compared to digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Materials and Methods: Color Doppler scan was done on patients suspected for lower limb PAD, a day prior to the DSA which was done by a vascular surgeon. Also, for the patients who were candidates for endovascular intervention based on the color Doppler arterial mapping results, endovascular interventions were performed at the same time if the DSA findings are correlated with the color Doppler map. The grading for evaluated segments was normal, insignificant stenosis (<50%), hemodynamically significant stenosis (≥50%) and occlusion. We yielded the diagnostic efficacy indices of Doppler for detecting arterial stenosis in each 18 different arterial segments below the renal arteries including, infrarenal aorta, common and external iliac, common femoral, superficial femoral (proximal, middle and distal segments), deep femoral, popliteal artery, tibioperoneal trunk, anterior and posterior tibial arteries (proximal, middle and distal segments) and peroneal artery (proximal and distal segments). Then, we yielded the kappa agreement between Doppler and DSA findings considering the grade of stenosis in 18 arterial segments separately. Results: Totally 115 lower extremities (2045 arterial segments) were evaluated in 90 patients [mean age: 60.8 ± 8.9 (range: 47 - 84 years old)] of which 68 (75.6%) were men. The sensitivity of color Doppler for all arterial segments was 90% or higher except for common iliac artery, distal segment of superficial femoral artery and proximal segments of anterior and posterior tibialis and peroneal arteries. However, the specificity was 89% or higher, in all arterial segments. Kappa agreement was 0.72 or higher in all segments (All P-Values 0.001). Conclusion: This study suggests that considering excellent capability of color Doppler sonography in the evaluation of lower extremity arterial disease, color Doppler arterial mapping is sufficient for decision making in the treatment of these patients and can reduce the rate of diagnostic angiography.

Evaluation of Prognosis of Brain Function with Early Transcranial Color Doppler Ultrasound in Patients after Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of transcranial color Doppler ultrasound (TCCD) in assessing cerebral function after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Methods: A prospective study was conducted in 52 patients with cardiac arrest treated by CPR from January 2018 to January 2020, and its clinical data were analyzed. According to classification of cerebral performance category (CPC), 31 cases (CPC grade 1 - 2) were selected in the good prognosis group and 21 cases (CPC grade 3 - 5) in the poor prognosis group. The cerebral blood flow was measured by transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCCD) 24 h after CPR, and the differences were compared between the two groups in stroke index, diastolic blood flow velocity (Vd), systolic peak blood flow velocity (Vs) and mean peak blood flow velocity (Vm). The ROC curve of cerebral blood flow after CPR was drawn to predict the prognosis of brain function. Results: The data showed that the pulsatility index of middle cerebral artery of the poor prognosis group decreased within 24 h;the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05);the Vd, Vs, Vm increased in the good prognosis group;the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The ROC curve of cerebral blood flow after CPR was drawn to predict the prognosis of brain function, and the results showed that the area under the curve and the optimal critical value of cerebral blood flow were 0.731 and 5.69. The sensitivity and specificity were 67.3% and 79.1% respectively. Conclusion: The cerebral blood flow increase in the early stage of successful CPR is positively correlated with the prognosis of cerebral functional resuscitation. Monitoring intracranial blood flow after CPR by TCCD has clinical value to evaluate prognosis of brain function.

Emboli detection using the Doppler ultrasound technique

Embolic detection is very important to the early diagnosis of vessel disease. The Doppler ultrasound technique is one of the common methods to detect the emboli non-invasively. When the emboli pass through the sample volume of the Doppler ultrasound instrument, there exist high intensity transient Doppler signals. Thus the emboli can be detected directly from the variation of Doppler signal amplitude. Since there may be some disturbance in the system, this general detection method has great limitation. To improve the accuracy of emboli auto-detection, several novel methods are studied to obtain the sensitive characteristic of the emboli signals using the new signal processing theories.

Measurement of Liver Size and Intrahepatic Blood Flow of Red-eared Turtles by Color Doppler Ultrasound

In the study, a total of 20 red-eared turtles （ half male and half female） were selected to conduct the measurement of liver size and intrahepatic blood flow of red-eared turtles by color Doppler ultrasound. The results showed that the fight hepatic lobe could be scanned through the right carotid anterior acoustic win- dow, and the left hepatic lobe could be scanned through the left carotid anterior acoustic window, but the vision would be obstructed by the air in trachea. The liver could also be scanned through the left femoral anterior acoustic window and the fight femoral anterior acoustic window when filling of bladder was good. The correla- tion regression analysis suggested that estimated values of liver showed no linear relationship with weight, the longest back curve and the widest back curve. Through the study, the normal indicators for ultrasound examination of red-eared turtle liver were established, in order to provide a reference for examination of turtle liver.

A Fertility Assessment of Infertile Men with Varicocele by Means of Doppler Ultrasound

The diameters of spermatic veins and blood reflux in sixty-two male patients with infertility caused by varicocele were assessed with Doppler ultrasound in this study. Scrotal thermograph, testes volume and semen analysis were also applied to analysis of these patients. Among sixty-two patients, thirty-one received high ligation of internal spermatic vein. The results showed: 1. The diameter of spermatic veins was negatively correlated with fertility index and positively correlated with Doppler grading of blood reflux. 2. In operative patients, the effect of surgery was better in patients with blood reflux than in those without blood reflux. It was suggested the diameter of spermatic veins probably reflects the duration and serious degree of blood reflux in spermatic vein, and may be used for assessment of severity of male infertility in combination with semen analysis.