Ultrasonic blood flow volume assessment in the extracranial internal carotid artery in arteriovenous malformations.

Angle-independent ultrasound assessment of the volume flow in the extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) is a new approach to evaluate the perfusion status of the human brain. Normal values using a new technical device (Quantix ND, Cardiosonix Ltd, Israel) and correlation analysis to quantitative CBF measurements were recently published. Aim of this study was to evaluate this device in arteriovenous malformations where cerebral blood flow is known to be increased. Five patients suffering from large supratentorial arteriovenous malformations (AVM) could be examined. All patients showed pre-operatively elevated flow volumes in the internal carotid artery on the side harbouring the pathological lesion compared with normal values evaluated in 50 volunteers. The contralateral internal carotid artery showed volume flow values within the normal limit. After surgical resection of the malformation normal values could be measured in all patients. Pathological elevated increases in cerebral blood flow can be evaluated by ultrasonic blood flow volume assessment in the extracranial internal carotid artery. Therefore, the Quantix ND seems a valuable tool in diagnosing cerebral hyperemia.