Blood flow velocities in the vertebral veins of healthy subjects: A duplexsonographic study

Along with the jugular veins, the vertebral veins serve as an important pat hway for venous blood returning from the brain. In this study, the authors report duplex sonographic findings in 138 healthy subjects without central nervous disease. Successful insonation was possible in 70.7% of all examine d vessels. Bilateral insonation was achieved in 86 subjects (62.3%). Only 1 vertebral vein was detected in 23 persons (16.7%), whereas no vein was fou nd in 29 persons (21%). The authors observed a marked variation of peak flo w velocities ranged (5-81 cm/s, mean +/- standard deviation, 23.9 +/- 12.3 cm/s). No significant gender-related or side-to-side differences or age inf luences on flow velocities were detected. The authors' findings may be of r elevance when discussing flow velocities in the vertebral veins in cases of cerebrovenous disorders (e.g., dural sinus thrombosis) or in patients afte r neck dissection.