A preliminary study on colour Doppler ultrasound for the evaluation of intervertebral stenosis of the vertebral artery

Abstract

To determine the optimal thresholds for assessing intervertebral segment stenosis through haemodynamic parameters of colour Doppler ultrasound compared with computed tomography (CT) angiography. Fifty-four patients diagnosed with intervertebral stenosis on colour Doppler imaging were included. Twenty patients with normal vertebral arteries constituted a control group. Peak systolic velocity at the intervertebral stenosis (PSVIV-S) and the intervertebral segment distal to the stenosis (PSVIV-D), end diastolic velocity at the intervertebral stenosis (EDVIV-S), and the intervertebral segment distal to the stenosis (EDVIV-D) were measured, and the ratios of PSVIV-S/PSVIV-D and EDVIV-S/EDVIV-D were calculated. Cut-off values for the diagnosis of <50%, 50-69%, and 70-99% stenosis were determined using a receiver operating characteristics curve. The optimal cut-off values of haemodynamic parameters for evaluating the intervertebral artery for <50% stenosis were PSVIV-S ≥81.5 cm/s, EDVIV-S ≥24.5 cm/s, PSVIV-S/PSVIV-D ≥1.49, and EDVIV-S/EDVIV-D ≥1.28; for 50-69% stenosis were PSVIV-S ≥137.5 cm/s, EDVIV-S ≥36.5 cm/s, PSVIV-S/PSVIV-D ≥3.14, and EDVIV-S/EDVIV-D ≥2.75; and for 70-99% stenosis were PSVIV-S ≥216 cm/s, EDVIV-S ≥55 cm/s, PSVIV-S/PSVIV-D ≥4.31, and EDVIV-S/EDVIV-D ≥4.16. PSVIV-S/PSVIV-D was the most superior haemodynamic parameter, with areas under the curve of 1.000, 0.906, and 0.968 for the diagnosis of <50%, 50-69%, and 70-99% stenosis, respectively. Colour Doppler sonography reliably identifies intervertebral stenosis. The results can be used as a preliminary reference for evaluating intervertebral stenosis.