Hemodynamics and Doppler Principles Flashcards

A sonographer measures a peak systolic velocity in the common carotid artery and notes that the Doppler angle of insonation is 75 degrees. What is the most likely consequence of using this angle for the velocity measurement?

Answer: The velocity will be significantly underestimated.

The Doppler equation uses the cosine of the angle between the ultrasound beam and the direction of blood flow to calculate velocity. As this angle increases towards 90 degrees, its cosine value decreases sharply. Angles above 60 degrees introduce a large potential for error, leading to a significant underestimation of the true velocity.

According to the Bernoulli principle as it applies to hemodynamics, what is the relationship between pressure and velocity at the point of maximum arterial stenosis?

Answer: Velocity is highest and pressure is lowest.

The Bernoulli principle describes the conservation of energy, stating that an increase in velocity (kinetic energy) must be accompanied by a decrease in pressure (potential energy). In an arterial stenosis, blood accelerates to pass through the narrowed segment, resulting in the highest velocity and, consequently, the lowest pressure at that specific point.

Based on Poiseuille's law, which of the following factors has the greatest influence on resistance to blood flow?

Answer: Vessel radius

Poiseuille's law demonstrates that resistance to flow is inversely proportional to the vessel radius raised to the fourth power (r⁴). This exponential relationship means that even a very small change in the radius of a vessel will cause a very large change in resistance, making it the most impactful factor.

While performing a spectral Doppler evaluation, a sonographer encounters aliasing. Which of the following adjustments is LEAST effective for correcting this artifact?

Answer: Increasing the overall Doppler gain.

Aliasing occurs when the Doppler shift exceeds the Nyquist limit. Increasing the PRF (scale), shifting the baseline, and using a lower frequency transducer are all effective methods to correct for or reduce aliasing. Increasing the Doppler gain only amplifies the entire signal, including the artifact, and does not change the parameters that cause aliasing.

In spectral Doppler, the filling-in of the clear space under the systolic peak is known as spectral broadening. This finding is most commonly associated with:

Answer: Disturbed or turbulent blood flow.

The clear area under the systolic peak, or 'spectral window,' represents the uniform velocity of red blood cells in laminar flow. Turbulent flow involves red blood cells moving at a wide variety of speeds and in multiple directions. This range of velocities fills in the spectral window, causing the appearance of spectral broadening.

Which of the following is a primary advantage of Power Doppler when compared to standard Color Doppler?

Answer: It has a higher sensitivity to slow flow states.

Power Doppler displays the amplitude (power) of the Doppler signal rather than the frequency shift. This makes it more sensitive to the presence of flow, especially in low-flow or slow-flow situations where Color Doppler may not detect a signal. However, it does not provide information about velocity or direction and is more prone to flash artifact.