TRANSCRANIAL POWER MODE DOPPLER DUPLEX SONOGRAPHY OF INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSMS

The application of different color-coding techniques in transcranial c olor-coded duplex sonography (TCCD) was assessed for detection and mea surement of the size of intracranial aneurysms. Thirty-two consecutive ly examined patients with 36 angiographically Verified cerebral aneury sms underwent TCCD with color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI), power Doppl er imaging (PDI), and both methods with contrast enhancement. The diam eters of the aneurysms were measured in comparable planes by means of angiography and TCCD-PD with and without 400 mg/ml of the monosacchari de microparticle contrast agent Levovist. TCCD with CFD enabled detect ion of 27 of 36 aneurysms (75%), and PD depicted 29 aneurysms (80%). A fter administration of Levovist, an additional two aneurysms were dete cted with CFD and three with PD color coding. Measurements of aneurysm size obtained by means of PD with contrast enhancement corresponded m ore highly with angiographic findings than did measurements obtained w ith PD alone. Use of alternative color-coding techniques with the addi tion of contrast agents increases the number of intracranial nonthromb osed aneurysms detectable with TCCD.