A simple technique to estimate the wall shear rate in healthy arteries using a clinical ultrasound scanner has been developed. This method uses the theory of fully developed oscillatory flow together with a spectral Doppler trace and an estimate of mean arterial diameter. A method using color flow imaging was compared with the spectral Doppler method in vascular phantoms and found to have errors that were on average 35% greater. Differences from the theoretic value for the time averaged wall shear rate using the spectral Doppler method varied by artery: brachial -9 (1) %; carotid -7 (1) %; femoral -22 (4) %; and fetal aorta -17 (10) %. Test measurements obtained from one healthy volunteer demonstrated the feasibility of the technique in vivo.
Blake JR, Meagher S, Fraser KH, Easson WJ, Hoskins PR. A method to estimate wall shear rate with a clinical ultrasound scanner. Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. 34(5):760-774 (2008).
Dr James Blake, Freeman Unit, Newcastle upon Tyne. Tel: +44 (0)191-223-6161.
Regional Medical Physics Department, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7DN, UK.
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