Original contribution
Transverse doppler spectral analysis for a correct interpretation of flow sonograms

https://doi.org/10.1016/0301-5629(93)90003-7Get rights and content

Abstract

The classic Doppler equation predicts that scatterers moving transversely to the ultrasound beam yield a zero frequency shift in the received echoes. An original theoretical approach, which has been developed in the last few years, has demonstrated that any focused beam leads to the generation of a Doppler spectrum with a nonzero bandwidth even for a transverse flow orientation. Based on this new theory, it is shown here that “transverse” Doppler spectral analysis can also be usefully applied in vivo. Experimental results obtained by observing normal and diseased carotid arteries at 90° show that the information obtained with this approach is complementary to that provided by the mean frequency alone, which is given by the classic Doppler equation.

References (14)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (35)

  • A nonlinear beamforming for enhanced spatiotemporal sensitivity in high frame rate ultrasound flow imaging

    2022, Computers in Biology and Medicine
    Citation Excerpt :

    It uses high frequency non-ionizing sound waves to create multiple insonification of blood vessels which makes it the safest technique to quantify the complex flow dynamics. Traditional Doppler ultrasound-based flow imaging techniques are highly dependent on the beam-to-flow angle and least sensitive to the transverse flow component [1–3]. This makes it difficult to quantify the complex flows associated with the superficial vasculature as they are immediately beneath the skin surface and the flow is purely transverse in most cases.

  • Comparison of carotid artery blood velocity measurements by vector and standard doppler approaches

    2015, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
    Citation Excerpt :

    Some of these methods have also been tested in vivo. Among the dual-beam approaches, the one capable of tracking the Doppler angle by using the transverse Doppler principle (Tortoli et al. 1993) has recently been implemented in the ULtrasound Advanced Open Platform (ULA-OP) (Tortoli et al. 2010) to allow repeatable PSV measurements in the common carotid arteries (CCAs) of 13 healthy patients. In Pedersen et al. (2012), a modified commercial scanner integrating the transverse oscillation vector technique was used to estimate multiple parameters (including PSV and end-diastolic velocity) in the CCAs of 16 healthy volunteers.

  • An Automatic Angle Tracking Procedure for Feasible Vector Doppler Blood Velocity Measurements

    2010, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
    Citation Excerpt :

    Here, the flow direction is identified by transversely orienting a reference beam. This condition is recognized by exploiting a unique signature of “transverse” Doppler spectra, i.e., the symmetry around zero frequency (Newhouse et al. 1987; Tortoli et al. 1993). Once the reference beam has been finely oriented, a second (measuring) beam can be used to directly estimate the true flow velocity at known beam-flow angle.

  • Accuracy and Reproducibility of a Novel Dual-Beam Vector Doppler Method

    2009, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
    Citation Excerpt :

    The orthogonal direction of the RL can be achieved by exploiting the unique features of transverse Doppler spectrum. As demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo, transverse Doppler spectra are substantially symmetrical around the zero mean frequency (Newhouse et al.1987; Tortoli at al. 1993). Such a spectral feature is derived from the transducer focusing properties, which involve a set of effective beam-flow angles equally distributed around the nominal Doppler angle (Censor et al. 1988).

  • Noninvasive simultaneous assessment of wall shear rate and wall distension in carotid arteries

    2006, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
    Citation Excerpt :

    If the reference beam is at a right angle to the flow, the Doppler spectra of backscattered echo-signals are substantially symmetrical around the zero mean frequency. Such a unique property, which was demonstrated through several in vitro and in vivo experiments (Tortoli et al. 1993), is derived from the transducer focusing features, which involve a set of effective beam-flow angles equally distributed around the nominal 90° Doppler angle (Censor et al. 1988). The spectral symmetry condition represents a sensitive indicator of the transverse beam-flow orientation.

View all citing articles on Scopus
View full text