HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Abstract Figures Only Full Text (PDF) An author's correction has been published Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kliewer, M. A. Articles by Carroll, B. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kliewer, M. A. Articles by Carroll, B. A. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Vertebral Artery Doppler Waveform Changes Indicating Subclavian Steal Physiology

¹ Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3808, Rm. 2526, Blue Zone S., Durham, NC 27710.
² Present address: 82nd MDSS/SGSAR, 149 Hart St., Ste. 5, Sheppard Air Force Base, TX 76311-3482.

Received June 9, 1999; accepted after revision August 12, 1999.

 
Address correspondence to M. A. Kliewer.

Abstract

Top Abstract Introduction Subjects and Methods Results Discussion References

 
OBJECTIVE. The goal of this study was to characterize and classify changes in antegrade vertebral artery waveforms that may represent the early stages of subclavian steal physiology.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS. A prospective examination of waveforms from 1914 vertebral arteries produced a total of 40 that had a transient sharp decline in velocities at mid or late systole. In these patients, an ECG tracing was synchronized with the pulsed Doppler waveform, and reactive hyperemia was induced in the ipsilateral arm with a blood pressure cuff. The same protocol was performed in a control group of 52 patients with normal vertebral artery waveforms. Correlation between the waveforms and subclavian disease shown on angiography was made in 10 cases collected from the prospective study and in an additional 10 cases identified from a record search.

RESULTS. Four prototypic waveforms were identified on the basis of the degree of flow deceleration in mid systole. Flow velocity at the nadir of the mid systolic notch was greater than that of the end diastole for type 1 waveforms, equal to the end diastole for type 2, at the baseline for type 3, and below the baseline for type 4. The blood pressure cuff maneuver induced a change to more abnormal waveforms in 36 of 40 patients but did not change the waveforms of the control group. The correlation between waveform type and subclavian disease was statistically significant (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION. Identifiable changes in the pulse contour of antegrade vertebral artery waveforms seem to represent the early stages of subclavian steal physiology. These changes can be organized into waveform types that indicate increasingly abnormal hemodynamics.

Introduction

Top Abstract Introduction Subjects and Methods Results Discussion References

 
One of the principal purposes of the Doppler examination of the vertebral arteries is the detection of retrograde blood flow indicating the subclavian steal phenomenon. Although the frank reversal of flow throughout the cardiac cycle is the most advanced stage of abnormality, precursory changes in vertebral waveforms may occur even when the flow direction is entirely antegrade.

In our laboratory, we have observed a distinctive aberration in the Doppler pulse contour of vertebral arteries that have a predominantly antegrade flow. The cardinal features of this aberration are a transient sharp decline in blood flow velocities at mid systole, the rounding of a subsequent second systolic peak, and restoration of forward flow in diastole. Though prior studies have examined the association between similar changes and subclavian disease, these studies did not establish the timing of the waveform fluctuations in the cardiac cycle or the physiologic relationship between various waveform types [1,2,3,4,5]. Furthermore, the relationship between vertebral Doppler sonography findings and disease shown on angiography has been examined in only a small number of patients [1,2,3]. The purpose of this study is to characterize the waveform alterations in the vertebral artery that suggest early stages of the subclavian steal phenomenon, to establish the physiologic relationship between these waveforms, and to correlate waveform morphology with angiographic findings.

Subjects and Methods

Top Abstract Introduction Subjects and Methods Results Discussion References

 
Physiologic Correlation
During an 11-month period, 957 consecutive patients at our institution underwent Doppler sonographic examination of the carotid and vertebral arteries. Doppler waveforms could be obtained from 1896 (99%) of the 1914 vertebral arteries. During each examination, the vertebral waveforms were prospectively inspected for evidence of a transient sharp decline in velocity at mid or late systole. This feature was found in 40 (2%) of the 1896 vertebral waveforms. The transient sharp decline in velocity at mid or late systole was unilateral in all cases, and evident in the left vertebral artery in 29 patients and in the right vertebral artery in 11 patients. Vertebral arteries with waveforms showing retrograde flow throughout systole were excluded.

Of the 40 patients, 26 were women and 14 were men (age range, 48-82 years old; mean age, 66 years). Indications for the carotid Doppler sonography included coronary artery disease (n = 10 patients), transient ischemic attacks (n = 8), cerebrovascular accident (n = 3), syncope (n = 2), visual impairment (n = 2), carotid bruits (n = 2), and miscellaneous other reasons such as evaluation before surgery, peripheral vascular disease, fatigue, headaches, hypertension, and altered mental status (n = 13). Only five patients had symptoms referable to the vertebrobasilar circulation. Of the five, two patients complained of arm weakness, one of arm claudication, and two of syncope.

Patients were examined in a supine position. Bilateral carotid sonography was performed using standard sonographic equipment (HDI 3000; Advanced Technology Laboratories, Bothell, WA), and multifrequency (7-4 MHz) linear transducers. After gray-scale and color Doppler imaging of the carotid and vertebral arteries, representative Doppler spectral waveforms were obtained in the internal carotid artery, external carotid artery, common carotid artery, and vertebral arteries. Sampling the vertebral arteries was performed in the mid portion of the extracranial segment of the artery. The measured angle of insonation was less than 60° in all cases.

ECG tracings were synchronized with the pulsed Doppler waveform in all 40 patients with an abnormal vertebral artery waveform. The ECG tracing was displayed on the same image as the pulsed Doppler recording and recorded on film. Reactive hyperemia was subsequently induced in the ipsilateral arm by inflation of a blood pressure cuff to greater than systolic arterial pressure for 3-5 min. This inflation was followed by rapid deflation of the cuff. ECG and pulsed Doppler tracings were obtained before cuff inflation and immediately after deflation.

The blood pressure cuff maneuver was also performed in a control group of 52 patients who were referred for carotid sonography but who had normal vertebral artery waveforms without systolic deceleration of flow. The group comprised 25 women and 27 men (age range, 45-81 years old; mean age, 68 years). The blood pressure cuff maneuver was performed during Doppler recording of vertebral arterial blood flow and synchronous ECG recording. The waveform contours before and after the blood pressure cuff maneuver were examined to discern any effects attributable to the maneuver. Using the Fisher's exact test, we compared statistically the proportion of vertebral arteries that exhibited a change in the pulse contour from this control group with the proportion that showed a change from the case group.

Angiographic Correlation
Of the 40 patients prospectively identified with abnormal antegrade waveforms, 10 had undergone aortic arch angiography within 6 weeks of the Doppler study. To augment the number of patients with angiographic correlation, we reviewed the records of 1256 consecutive carotid Doppler examinations performed during a 2-year period just before the prospective study for reports of abnormal vertebral artery waveforms. An abnormal waveform in the vertebral artery was mentioned in 84 reports. When the images of these 84 studies were examined for evidence of mid systolic flow deceleration, 50 cases were found. Of these 50 cases, 10 patients (seven women, three men) had angiography performed within 6 weeks of the sonographic study. Seven cases involved the left vertebral artery; three involved the right.

Carotid angiography was performed with intraarterial digital subtraction or standard cut-film techniques after catheterization of the aortic arch and selective carotid catheterization. Images of the subclavian and innominate arteries were retrospectively reviewed for evidence of stenosis by an investigator unaware of sonographic results. The percentage of stenosis was calculated by comparing the lumen diameter measured at the point of maximum stenosis to the diameter of a disease-free segment of the subclavian or innominate artery distal to the stenosis.

The composite group of 20 patients from the prospective and retrospective case collections contained two type 1 waveforms, 10 type 2 waveforms, three type 3 waveforms, and five type 4 waveforms. The relationship between the vertebral waveform type and the corresponding degree of stenosis of the subclavian or innominate arteries at angiography was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. All statistical studies were considered statistically significant at a p value of 0.05 or less.

Results

Top Abstract Introduction Subjects and Methods Results Discussion References

 
Four distinctive waveforms were identified. The unifying feature of the waveforms was an abrupt decline in flow velocity after the early systolic upstroke. This deceleration could be definitively located at mid systole by comparing the Doppler tracing with the synchronously recorded ECG tracing. The result was that within systole two peaks developed. The first was sharp; the second was blunted. Waveform types were defined by the depth of the mid systolic notch. The flow velocity at the nadir of the notch was greater than the flow velocity at end diastole for type 1 waveforms (Fig. 1A,1B), equal to the level of end diastole for type 2 waveforms (Fig. 2A,2B), at the level of the baseline (0 cm/sec) for type 3 waveforms (Fig. 3A,3B), and below the baseline for type 4 waveforms (Fig. 4A,4B). The flow direction was entirely antegrade in the vertebral artery for waveform types 1-3 and predominantly antegrade for type 4. Comparison with the ECG tracing showed that antegrade flow in the vertebral artery was restored in diastole for all waveform types.

View larger version (68K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 1A. —Type 1 waveform in 63-year-old woman with asymptomatic carotid bruit. Doppler waveform shows antegrade flow throughout cardiac cycle. Note transient sharp decline in velocity at mid systole producing notch in Doppler trace (arrow). Notch creates two systolic peaks. First rises to acute angle and second has rounded contour. Velocity at nadir of notch is greater than that of end diastole. Also note diastolic notch (arrowhead).

View larger version (17K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 1B. —Type 1 waveform in 63-year-old woman with asymptomatic carotid bruit. Drawing shows timing of waveform fluctuations in cardiac cycle.

View larger version (70K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 2A. —Type 2 waveform in 53-year-old woman with coronary artery disease. In this waveform, more pronounced and deeper cleft is evident between two systolic peaks. Nadir of this cleft reached velocity at or just below that of end diastole. Second systolic peak tends to be smaller and broader than corresponding peak of type 1 waveform.

View larger version (16K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 2B. —Type 2 waveform in 53-year-old woman with coronary artery disease. Drawing delineates waveform changes in cardiac cycle. Outline resembles body profile of rabbit and is sometimes referred to as "bunny waveform."

View larger version (63K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 3A. —Type 3 waveform in 54-year-old man with angina. Nadir of mid systolic cleft is at or below baseline, but rapid recovery of forward flow before diastole is shown.

View larger version (14K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 3B. —Type 3 waveform in 54-year-old man with angina. Drawing shows waveform outline.

View larger version (47K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 4A. —Type 4 waveform in 81-year-old man with coronary artery disease. Nadir of mid systolic cleft falls well below baseline signifying greater reversal of flow during systole. Forward flow is restored in diastole.

View larger version (12K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 4B. —Type 4 waveform in 81-year-old man with coronary artery disease. Drawing indicates outline of pulse profile.

The prospective collection of 40 patients comprised eight (20%) type 1 waveforms, 16 (40%) type 2 waveforms, five (12.5%) type 3 waveforms, and 11 (27.5%) type 4 waveforms.

The blood pressure cuff maneuver caused changes in the waveform contour in 36 (90%) of these 40 vertebral arteries with abnormal antegrade waveforms (Table 1). When a change in waveform shape was elicited, the waveform after the provocative maneuver was always more abnormal (i.e., a higher waveform type), with a greater decline in mid systolic velocities (Figs. 5A,5B and 6A,6B). The blood pressure cuff maneuver never caused a change to a lower waveform type. This finding suggests that the four waveform types represent steps in the progression of disease.

View larger version (59K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 5A. —67-year-old woman with stroke in whom type 2 waveform converted to type 4. Doppler tracing of left vertebral artery shows typical type 2 waveform. Note antegrade flow throughout cardiac cycle.

View larger version (51K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 5B. —67-year-old woman with stroke in whom type 2 waveform converted to type 4. Doppler tracing obtained after deflation of blood pressure cuff shows transient flow reversal in mid systole.

View larger version (40K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 6A. —82-year-old woman in whom type 4 waveform converted to full subclavian steal. Doppler waveform shows transient flow reversal of type 4 waveform.

View larger version (32K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 6B. —82-year-old woman in whom type 4 waveform converted to full subclavian steal. After deflation of blood pressure cuff, retrograde flow throughout cardiac cycle indicates full subclavian steal.

No waveform changes were observed in response to the provocative blood pressure maneuver in the control group. A statistically significant difference was found in the proportion of vertebral arteries that exhibited waveform changes in the control group as compared with the case group (p < 0.0001).

Angiography performed in the 20 patients showed evidence of atherosclerotic disease of the subclavian or innominate arteries on the same side as the abnormal vertebral arterial waveform in all patients. The mean diameter of the stenosis of the ipsilateral subclavian artery was 45% for the type 1 waveforms (SD, 7.1%); 53% for type 2 waveforms (SD, 21.5%); 72% for type 3 waveforms (SD, 10.4%); and 78% for type 4 waveforms (SD, 2.9%). The correlation coefficient between the increasing waveform type and the increasing degree of subclavian stenosis was 0.5 (p = 0.03), indicating a moderately good correlation. This correlation coefficient, calculated with individual values for waveform type and stenosis estimates, was not based on averages.

Discussion

Top Abstract Introduction Subjects and Methods Results Discussion References

 
In this study, we identified changes in the Doppler tracing of vertebral arteries with antegrade flow that appear to represent early manifestations of subclavian steal physiology. These Doppler findings are evident in patients who, for the most part, do not yet have vertebrobasilar symptoms. When a blood pressure cuff is used to exacerbate the abnormal hemodynamics of a subclavian stenosis, the waveform shape will be changed such that a hierarchy of waveform types can be constructed ranging from subtle changes in the pulse contour to a full subclavian steal. The waveform changes induced by the blood pressure cuff were found only in patients with the abnormal vertebral waveforms, not in the control group of patients with normal waveforms. The synchronous ECG tracing provided a reference by which the stages of the cardiac cycle could be defined and correlated with specific features of the waveform contour, both before and after the provocative maneuver.

The earliest manifestation of the subclavian steal physiology is a transient sharp deceleration of blood flow after the first systolic peak. The synchronous ECG tracing reveals that this deceleration occurs in mid systole, not early diastole as is seen with high-resistance triphasic waveforms of other peripheral arteries. The flow deceleration produces a notch in the pulse contour and gives rise to two systolic peaks: the first sharp, the second blunt and rounded. As the subclavian steal hemodynamics become increasingly abnormal, the systolic notch becomes more pronounced and the second systolic peak diminishes and broadens. The nadir of the notch becomes progressively lower until it reaches and eventually crosses the baseline. The reversal of flow during systole is at first minimal and transient but becomes increasingly more substantial until complete reversal of flow throughout the cardiac cycle is seen.

The physiologic explanation for these Doppler findings may be twofold: a decrease in pressure in which blood flow velocity abruptly increases, and a loss of energy in which 78% disturbed or turbulent flow is present [6]. By the Bernoulli equation, the potential energy and the kinetic energy of a hemodynamic system are inversely related. When the velocity of flow (kinetic energy) increases, the pressure (potential energy) decreases. When the flow velocity increases across a focal stenosis in the subclavian artery, the pressure in that vascular segment decreases and causes an abrupt decline in flow velocity in the vertebral branch. This version of the Venturi effect is familiar to any chemistry student who has drawn water from a precipitate by attaching a hose from the side port of a faucet with running water. The suction effect created by the running water is analogous to the pressure drop in a stenotic subclavian artery. This pressure drop will be greatest during peak systole, when the blood flow across the stenosis is fastest. A transient decline in flow velocity during peak systole in the vertebral branch occurs, and this decline is reflected in the prominent mid systolic notch found in the Doppler waveforms recorded there.

A systolic notch in the pulse contour of a vertebral artery is an uncommon finding. In our study, this notch was found in only 2% of vertebral arteries prospectively examined for this finding. A subtle systolic notch might be normal in some vertebral arteries. We found that two (25%) of eight type 1 waveforms did not change in response to reactive hyperemia. Perhaps then the conversion of a type 1 waveform to a type 2 waveform in response to physiologic maneuvers might distinguish an early manifestation of the subclavian steal phenomenon from a normal—though uncommon—mid systolic retraction.

Angiographic correlation indicates that the hemodynamic changes evident in the vertebral arteries on Doppler sonography are associated with the severity of disease in the subclavian and innominate arteries. A statistically significant correlation was discerned between the increasing waveform grade and increasing subclavian stenosis.

In summary, this study shows a continuum of changes in the pulse contour of antegrade vertebral artery waveforms. This change seems to represent the earliest signs of subclavian steal physiology. These waveform changes occur before the development of frank retrograde flow and are manifest largely in the systolic portion of the cardiac cycle. The cardinal feature of these waveform changes is the transient sharp decrease in blood flow velocity at peak systole. Recognition of these early changes could identify patients at risk for the eventual development of the subclavian steal syndrome. Long-term longitudinal follow-up of such patients may confirm the clinical evolution of the findings in this study.

Acknowledgments
 
We thank Susan Murray for assistance with manuscript preparation.

References

Top Abstract Introduction Subjects and Methods Results Discussion References

 

1. Ringelstein EB, Zeumer H. Delayed reversal of vertebral artery blood flow following percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for subclavian steal syndrome. Neuroradiology 1984;26:189-198[Medline]
2. Brancheareu A, Magnan PE, Espinoze H, Bartoli JM. Subclavian artery stenosis: hemodynamic aspects and surgical outcome. J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino) 1991;32:604-612[Medline]
3. Yip PK, Liu HM, Hwang BS, Chen RC. Subclavian steal phenomenon: a correlation between duplex sonographic and angiographic findings. Neuroradiology 1992;34:279-282[Medline]
4. Thomassen L, Aarli JA. Subclavian steal phenomenon: clinical and hemodynamic aspects. Acta Neurol Scand 1994;90:241-244[Medline]
5. Kotval PS, Babu SC, Shah PM. Doppler diagnosis of partial vertebral/subclavian steals convertible to full steals with physiologic maneuvers. J Ultrasound Med 1990;9:207-213[Abstract]
6. Burns PN. Hemodynamics. In: Taylor KJW, Burns PN, Wells PNT, eds. Clinical applications of Doppler ultrasound. New York: Raven, 1988:56-61

CiteULike

Complore

Connotea

Del.icio.us

Digg

Reddit

Technorati

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Yurdakul, M. Tola, and O. S. Uslu Color Doppler Ultrasonography in Occlusive Diseases of the Brachiocephalic and Proximal Subclavian Arteries J. Ultrasound Med., July 1, 2008; 27(7): 1065 - 1070. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Y. Huang and M. Castillo Radiological Reasoning: Extracranial Causes of Unilateral Decreased Brain Perfusion Am. J. Roentgenol., December 1, 2007; 189(6_Supplement): S49 - S54. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. G. Grant, S. M. El-Saden, B. L. Madrazo, J. D. Baker, and M. A. Kliewer Innominate Artery Occlusive Disease: Sonographic Findings Am. J. Roentgenol., February 1, 2006; 186(2): 394 - 400. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. R. Tahmasebpour, A. R. Buckley, P. L. Cooperberg, and C. H. Fix Sonographic Examination of the Carotid Arteries RadioGraphics, November 1, 2005; 25(6): 1561 - 1575. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Wu, J. Zhang, C. J. Ladner, J. S. Babb, P. J. Lamparello, and G. A. Krinsky Subclavian Steal Syndrome: Diagnosis with Perfusion Metrics from Contrast-enhanced MR Angiographic Bolus-timing Examination--Initial Experience Radiology, June 1, 2005; 235(3): 927 - 933. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I A Wright, A D Laing, and T M Buckenham Coronary subclavian steal syndrome: non-invasive imaging and percutaneous repair Br. J. Radiol., May 1, 2004; 77(917): 441 - 444. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Saito, K. Kimura, K. Nagatsuka, K. Nagano, K. Minematsu, S. Ueno, and H. Naritomi Vertebral Artery Occlusion in Duplex Color-Coded Ultrasonography Stroke, May 1, 2004; 35(5): 1068 - 1072. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. M. Rohren, M. A. Kliewer, B. A. Carroll, and B. S. Hertzberg A Spectrum of Doppler Waveforms in the Carotid and Vertebral Arteries Am. J. Roentgenol., December 1, 2003; 181(6): 1695 - 1704. [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Yanik, I. Conkbayir, M. H. Ozturk, G. Acaroglu, and B. Hekimoglu Partial Steal Phenomenon in the Ophthalmic Artery Due to a Direct Carotid-Cavernous Sinus Fistula: Orbital Color Doppler Ultrasonographic Findings J. Ultrasound Med., October 1, 2003; 22(10): 1107 - 1110. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Romero, M. H. Lev, S.-T. Chan, M. M. Connelly, R. C. Curiel, A. E. Jackson, R. G. Gonzalez, and R. H. Ackerman US of Neurovascular Occlusive Disease: Interpretive Pearls and Pitfalls RadioGraphics, September 1, 2002; 22(5): 1165 - 1176. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. M. Horrow and J. Stassi Sonography of the Vertebral Arteries: A Window to Disease of the Proximal Great Vessels Am. J. Roentgenol., July 1, 2001; 177(1): 53 - 59. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Kliewer Author's Correction Am. J. Roentgenol., May 1, 2000; 174(5): 1464- - 1464. [Full Text]

This Article Abstract Figures Only Full Text (PDF) An author's correction has been published Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kliewer, M. A. Articles by Carroll, B. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kliewer, M. A. Articles by Carroll, B. A. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?