New non invasive Doppler technology for carotid stenosis assessment

Multigate Quality Doppler Profiles (QDP) is a Fast Fourier Transform-based Doppler technology recently integrated in a commercial ultrasound scanner. QDP represents a novel analysis tool, which is able to simultaneously detect and show the velocity components, present in the blood flow of multiple vessels, without any frame rate reduction. The present work describes QDP application to the measurement of Internal Carotid Artery stenosis (i.e. vessel lumen reduction due to plaque formation). Measurements were performed in vitro on a Doppler Phantom and in vivo in comparison to Computed Tomography Angiography. The results confirmed QDP as a proper tool for the NASCET index measurement, more precise and robust than the traditional Ultrasound modalities used so far.