Three-dimensional transcranial color-coded sonography for the examination of the arteries of the circle of Willis

Because examinations of the intracranial vessels using conventional transcr anial color-coded sonography (TCCS) lack spatial orientation and reproducib ility, development of a three-dimensional (3-D) imaging technique is requir ed. Three patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis, three with s uspected intracranial aneurysm, two with vascular malformation, and one hea lthy volunteer were investigated by 3-D TCCS using a magnetic spatial posit ioning sensor mounted on the transducer for simultaneous recording of the p robe coordinates to create a volumetric data set. Three-dimensional transcr anial color-coded sonography enabled good visualization of intracranial ane urysms and MCA stenoses. However, it failed to detect morphological details in vascular malformations. In conclusion, 3-D TCCS is a promising techniqu e that opens new perspectives in depicting intracranial vessels and provide s volume measurement of intracranial aneurysms.