Doppler Ultrasound Study Of Hemodynamics Of The Internal Jugular Vein

Objective:Through analyzing the flow spectra of internal jugular vein (IJV) in healthyadults by pulsed Doppler ultrasonography, we investigated the relationshipbetween the flow spectra and the changes in respiratory and cardiac cycles.Theclinical application value of abnormal flow spectra was also explored.Materials and Methods:In the control group(n=60;male=30, female=30;ages,20～78;with no historyof cardiac and respiratory diseases, and no history of peripheral vasculardiseases), IJV(Internal jugular vein) hemodynamics indexes were measured．In the patients’group (n=56;male=32, female=24;ages=21～72;withabnormal IJV hemodynamics determined by ultrasonography)：some cases were founda soft mass in the lateral neck region above the clavicle, cystiform or fusiform, shrinking or disappearing under quiet breathing or under local pressure;whilesome cases were found IJV distension, with venous stasis and varicose vein inthe regions of the head, face, neck, upper limb and upper chest. The structures, surrounding tissues and the hemodynamics indexes of the brachiocephalic veins, superior and inferior caval veins were further examined.Results:In the control group, IJV waveforms were composed of three waves duringcardiac cycle-one reverse wave A and two forward waves S and D.The flow spectraof IJV change regularly with cardiac and respiratory cycles.The main characters of the56patients with abnormal IJV hemodynamics are：IJV distension; the flow spectra fading or disappearing regularly withrespiratory and cardiac cycles;velocity of blood flow decreasing or blood flowsignals disappearing (backward blood flow was observed in2cases). Among thesepeople,26cases were found to be congenital IJV distension,12cases were with right heart failure,15cases were found lesions in left brachiocephalic veins, and3cases were found with superior vena cava syndrome.Conclusions:The flow spectra of IJV change regularly with respiratory and cardiac cyclesin healthy adults. Lesions in the proximal vein of internal jugular vein leadto changes in IJV hemodynamics. Therefore, tracing and scanning proximal veinsof internal jugular veins in people with abnormal IJV hemodynamics can provideimportant clinical clues, in terms of determining the regions, causes andseverities of lesions.