COLOR-CODED DUPLEX SONOGRAPHY OF EXPERIMENTALLY-INDUCED MULTILEVEL STENOSIS - EVALUATION OF POSTSTENOTIC DOPPLER SPECTRUM

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES. The authors evaluated the influence of a pro ximal arterial stenosis on the poststenotic doppler spectrum of a seco nd, distal stenosis and determined duplex parameters, which permitted description of the severity of the distal stenosis. METHODS. Moderate (ie, 50%) and severe (ie, 90%) stenoses of the distal aorta and the di stal iliac arteries of 10 pigs were created surgically and characteriz ed by angiography. All possible combinations of moderate and severe st enoses were examined. The Doppler spectrum was depicted in the distal iliac and distal femoral arteries of both limbs and analyzed by use of maximum and minimum flow velocity (V-max, V-min), acceleration index (modified Handa index), acceleration time, and pulsatility index. RESU LTS. In cases of moderate as well as severe proximal stenosis, acceler ation index, acceleration time, and pulsativity index of the poststeno tic curve of the distal stenosis were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) . Independent of the severity of the proximal stenosis, differentiatio n of moderate as well as severe distal stenosis was possible (P < 0.05 ) with these parameters. CONCLUSIONS. Despite interference of spectral curves in proximal and distal stenosis, duplex sonography enabled the differentiation of experimental aortic iliac multilevel stenosis.