Error Reduction in Left Carotid Artery Measurements Using High Frame Rate Ultrasound Vector Flow Imaging

To further explore the clinical value and technological advancements of ultrasound vector flow imaging (VFI) compared to conventional Doppler for the routine ultrasound examination, common carotid arteries (CCA) were measured using two ultrasound techniques, a high frame rate VFI (V Flow function) and pulsed wave Doppler (PWD), and the results were compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements for the accuracy study. Twenty-nine healthy volunteers were included in the study. Both the left and right CCAs were measured using V Flow, PWD, and MRI. The measurements included the maximum (peak-systolic, PS) and the time average mean (TAMEAN) flow velocities in the CCA, and the volume flow of CCA. The MRI results were considered as a benchmark to investigate the accuracy of V Flow and PWD measurements for left and right CCAs, respectively. The measurement errors of V Flow and PWD were calculated relative to MRI results. For PWD, the measurement error of the left CCA was significantly greater than that of the right side (P<0.01 for max and mean velocities, and P<0.05 for volume flow). However, no significant difference in error was found between left and right CCAs in V Flow measurements (P>0.05 for all three comparisons of V Flow). The study reveals that PWD generates more errors in the left carotid measurements, but this error can be reduced by V Flow, which also yields results closer to MRI measurements.