Doppler Blood Flow Characteristics and Hemodynamic Features in Posterior Circulation in Normal

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine reference doppler values of blood flow and to investigate features of normal hemodynamics in main arteries of posterior circulation using color-coded duplex sonography (DS). The study involved 65 apparently healthy male volunteers aged 21 to 57 years (36 ± 12 years). A decrease in peak blood flow velocities during the transition from V1-segment of vertebral artery (VA) to V2 and an increase at intracranial level from proximal to distal part (from V4-segments of VA to distal part of basilar artery (BA)) were recorded. There was a tendency towards higher blood flow values in left VA and in posterior cerebral artery (PCA) in comparison with right ones. The features of hemodynamics, most likely, were due to the structural features of posterior circulation arteries—frequent asymmetry of VA in diameters, different branching of BA, as well as differences in peripheral resistance level associated with both the activity and metabolism of blood-supplied structures and the tone of resistive vascular network (less pronounced in the supratentorial structures).