First assessment of flow phenomena of acute and chronic thrombosis in the jugular veins using new ultrasound vector-flow imaging

Issue title: Selected articles from the 3rd Joint Meeting of The European Society for Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation (ESCHM) , The International Society for Clinical Hemorheology (ISCH) and The International Society of Biorheology (ISB), Regensburg, Germany, 28 – 30 September 2023

Guest editors: L. Prantl, A. Krueger-Genge and F. Jung

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Luderer, V.^{a; *} | Jung, F.^b | Brandenstein, M.^a | Stroszczynski, C.^a | Jung, E.M.^a

Affiliations: [a] Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Interdisciplinary Ultrasound Department, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany | [b] Institute of Biotechnology, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus – Senftenberg, Cottbus, Germany

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Verena Luderer, Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Interdisciplinary Ultrasound Department, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany. Tel.: +49 941 944 7418; Fax: +49 941 944 7409; E-mail: verena.luderer@stud.uni-regensburg.de.

Abstract: AIM:First assessment of flow changes in the jugular veins using high resolution ultrasound vector flow. MATERIAL UND METHODS:15 patients (8 males, 7 females) with an age range of 35 to 82 years (mean age 58.53±12.26 years) were examined by an experienced examiner using high power ultrasound equipment (Resona R9, Mindray) with probe technology (Mindray L9-3U Linear Array transducer, 2.5 to 9.0 MHz). This group was compared with five healthy subjects (mean age 35.4±13.79 years) as a reference. To assess flow changes, the color-coded duplex sonography and the novel vector flow technique were used. The evaluation was performed of vector morphology changes, turbulence, and wall resistance measurements. RESULTS:There were changes after acute and chronic thrombosis in 9 cases, and venous compression in 7 cases. Turbulence was measurable from 0.01 % to 64.44 %, the average turbulence was 19.73±22.06 %. Wall resistance measurement showed values from 0.01 Pa to 3.14 Pa, depending on the age of the thrombosis or compression. The reference veins showed turbulence of 0.94±1.5 % and a mean wall resistance of 0.05±0.05 Pa. There are statistically significant differences between normal and thrombotic or compressed veins in terms of maximum wall stress (p = 0.006) and mean degree of turbulence (p = 0.012), while the difference in mean wall stress is not statistically significant (p = 0.058). CONCLUSION:Despite still existing technical limitations, the combination of V-flow and wall stress measurements in jugular vein changes suggests a high diagnostic potential.

Keywords: Thrombosis, vector-flow-imaging, high resolution ultrasound, color-coded duplex sonography

DOI: 10.3233/CH-238117

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 86, no. 1-2, pp. 133-142, 2024