TRANSCRANIAL DOPPLER SONOGRAPHY - ROBOTIC PROBES FOR THE QUANTIFICATION OF ACUPUNCTURE

Transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) monitoring was carried out in 12 healthy subjects (mean age: 35.2 +/- 4.4 years; range: 26-41 years; 4 women, 8 men), prior tol during and following acupuncture. In all sub jects an identical acupuncture scheme with a ''general increase in Qi energy'' setting was employed. Measurements were obtained with new rob otic TCD probes enabling three-dimensional imaging of the middle cereb ral artery by the use of the multi-scan technique. The results showed a significant (p < 0.01; ANOVA; Tukey test) increase in mean bloodflow velocity measured simultaneously at different depths within the right middle cerebral artery. Quantifiable changes in the physiological eff ects of acupuncture may contribute to improved acceptance of this unco nventional complementary medical procedure.