Study of normal Chinese vertebral–basilar arteries with transcranial color Doppler flow imaging

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the blood flow characteristics of intracranial vertebral–basilar artery (V-BA) in healthy Chinese adults with transcranial color Doppler flow imaging (TCDFI) and provide reference values of healthy people of different ages and genders. Methods Three hundred healthy Chinese adults were divided into three groups based on their ages: Group I: 20–39 years, Group II: 40–59 years, Group III: ≥60 years. Each group was subdivided into two subgroups according to their gender. Peak systolic velocity (Ps), end-diastolic velocity (Vd), time average maximum velocity (TAMAX), pulsatility index (PI), and resistance index (RI) were measured from intracranial V-BA scanning. Results Ps, Vd, and TAMAX decreased with age, while PI and RI increased in all groups. Flow velocity in women was slightly higher than that of men, and there was significant differences in group III between men and women (P<.05). However, no difference was found in the flow parameters between left and right vertebral arteries. Conclusions This study offered reference values of intracranial V-BA flow parameters in healthy Chinese adults and indicated that these parameters varied with age and gender.