POTENTIALITIES OF FUNCTIONAL ULTRASONOGRAPHY AND DOPPLER SONOGRAPHY IN DIAGNOSIS OF VERTEBRAL ARTERY BLOOD FLOW ABNORMALITIES

Abstract

Objectives. To improve diagnosis of a vertebral artery syndrome by combination of a multiplanar functional ultrasonography of the cervical spine and dopplerography of an extracranial segments of the vertebral artery (VA).

Material and Methods. To diagnose a VA syndrome 12 patients with uncovertebral arthrosis and 22 patients with cervical spine instability underwent ultrasound examination. VA was investigated in the mode of energetic dopplerography through anterior-lateral horizontal paratracheal approach, which provides one plane visualization of VA in osseous canal, uncovertebral junction, intervertebral disk and the spinal canal at the disk level. This technique allows direct estimation of interrelations between VA and mentioned above bone and soft tissue structures. To detect cervical spine instability the ultrasonography with functional tests was performed. All patients underwent conventional duplex dopplerography.

Results. The examination revealed changes in a VA blood circulation in the presence of uncovertebral arthrosis and cervical spine instability.

Conclusion. The suggested technique provides more precise diagnosis of VA compression level in the spinal canal in the presence of uncovertebral arthrosis and permits to trace interrelation between changes in arterial blood circulation and instability of intervertebral motional segments.