Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 17, Issue 3 147-151, Copyright © 1998 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Hemodynamic disorders in internal thoracic artery: How often are they associated with subclavian steal via ipsilateral vertebral artery?
S. Sureyya Ozbek and M. Parildar
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Ege University School of Medicine, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
The scores based on Doppler sonographic spectral features in 14 vertebral
arteries with flow reversal and 10 vertebral arteries with normal antegrade
flow were correlated with those of ipsilateral internal thoracic (or
internal mammary) and subclavian arteries. The statistical analysis
revealed significant correlation between the scores of all ipsilateral
arteries. We concluded that color duplex ultrasonographic examination of
internal thoracic arteries should be carried out in all patients with flow
reversal in vertebral arteries. It is especially important in those who are
potential candidates for coronary revascularization using in situ internal
thoracic artery graft.