Preliminary comparison between real-time in-vivo spectral and transverse oscillation velocity estimates

Spectral velocity estimation is considered the gold standard in medical ultrasound. Peak systole (PS), end diastole (ED), and resistive index (RI) are used clinically. Angle correction is performed using a flow angle set manually. With Transverse Oscillation (TO) velocity estimates the flow angle, peak systole (PSTO), end diastole (EDTO), and resistive index (RITO) are estimated.

This study investigates if these clinical parameters are estimated equally good using spectral and TO data. The right common carotid arteries of three healthy volunteers were scanned longitudinally. Average TO flow angles and std were calculated { 52±18 ; 55±23 ; 60±16 }°. Spectral angles { 52 ; 56 ; 52 }° were obtained from the B-mode images.

Obtained values are: PSTO { 76±15 ; 89±28 ; 77±7 } cm/s, spectral PS { 77 ; 110 ; 76 } cm/s, EDTO { 10±3 ; 14±8 ; 15±3 } cm/s, spectral ED { 18 ; 13 ; 20 } cm/s, RITO { 0.87±0.05 ; 0.79±0.21 ; 0.79±0.06 }, and spectral RI { 0.77 ; 0.88 ; 0.73 }. Vector angles are within ±two std of the spectral angle.

TO velocity estimates are within ±three std of the spectral estimates. RITO are within ±two std of the spectral estimates. Preliminary data indicates that the TO and spectral velocity estimates are equally good. With TO there is no manual angle setting and no flow angle limitation. TO velocity estimation can also automatically handle situations where the angle varies over the cardiac cycle.

More detailed temporal and spatial vector estimates with diagnostic potential are available with the TO velocity estimation.