Usefulness of waveform analysis of popliteal artery in Type II diabetic patients using gated magnetic resonance 2D-cine-PC imaging and P-31 spectroscopy

Aims/hypothesis. We studied 76 patients with Type II (non-insulin-dependent ) diabetes mellitus and 16 age-matched non-diabetic subjects (control group ) to clarify qualitative and quantitative abnormalities of waveform and flo w volume of the popliteal artery. Methods. The 76 diabetic patients comprised 16 patients with occlusive arte rial disease in the lower extremities [arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) gr oup] and 60 patients free from this disease (non-ASO group). We flow analys ed the popliteal artery and measured the phosphocreatine to inorganic phosp hate ratio of resting plantar muscles to identify risk factors for foot les ions using gated magnetic resonance two-dimensional cine-mode phase-contras t imaging and P-31 spectroscopy. Results. The control and non-ASO groups had a triphasic waveform with systo lic, early and late diastolic components. All ASO patients had an abnormal monophasic waveform and a lower ankle brachial index than that of the contr ol and non-ASO groups. To clarify the mechanism of reduced flow volume of l ower extremities, we assigned the 60 patients of the non-ASO group to the t hree subgroups based on their levels of total flow volume of the popliteal artery. The lowest group showed an abnormal triphasic waveform with lower a mplitudes of systolic and late diastolic components and flow velocities in foot arteries than those of the highest group although ABI was similar. Fro m stepwise multiple regression analysis, late diastolic flow volume was ide ntified as an independent determinant for the phosphocreatine to inorganic phosphate ratio (r(2) = 0.484, p < 0.001). Conclusion/interpretation. Waveform analysis of popliteal artery provides a powerful tool for identifying impaired peripheral circulation caused by ei ther occlusive arterial disease or increased arterial resistance in diabeti c patients.