COLOR DOPPLER ENERGY - COMPUTER-ANALYSIS OF COLOR TO ASSESS ANGLE DEPENDENCY AND DETECTION OF VOLUME FLOW DIFFERENCES

The aims of this study were to assess (1) any angle dependency of colo r Doppler energy and (2) if computer analysis of the color can disting uish variations in volume flow. Fluid flowing through a silicon tube i n a waterbath was insonated and the color in the images analyzed by a computer. The color presentation on the screen decreases rapidly as th e angle approaches 90 degrees. At angles that did not produce a satura tion of the color in the tube, the computer analysis detected signific ant differences between different flow volumes. We have concluded that monitoring of volume flow changes by analysis of color Doppler energy is possible, but the angle of insonation must be taken into account.