In vitro evaluation of multiple arterial stenoses using three-dimensional power Doppler angiography.

PURPOSE: The study was done to improve quantification of multiple arterial stenoses and to investigate a new imaging technique for lower limb arteries. Three-dimensional power Doppler angiography was used to quantify in vitro arterial stenoses.

METHODS

We built two types of artery phantoms containing multiple stenoses. One used stenotic porcine arteries, and the other was designed to control the proximal and distal stenoses while we assessed central stenosis of a wall-less agar lumen. Three-dimensional power Doppler angiograms of the flow lumens were generated at different flow rates under steady and pulsatile flow conditions with a PowerPC 8500 computer-based three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system. This experimental system works off-line, performs three-dimensional acquisition, reconstruction, and display of ultrasound images. Images of flow lumens were compared with the measured B-mode images or the true geometry.

RESULTS

This technique produces good three-dimensional angiographic images of the flow lumen, and multiple stenoses do not affect the diagnosis of arterial stenoses. With this technique, the average errors for estimating 80% and 50% area reduction stenoses were -10% and 4%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Three-dimensional power Doppler angiography has the potential to quantitatively grade multisegmental stenoses in lower limbs and generate a map for vasculature surgery planning.