Detection of air microbubbles in the internal jugular vein after intravenous injection of contrast agent for the diagnosis of patent foramen ovale.

Abstract

The use of agitated air and saline, injected intravenously, combined with monitoring of the middle cerebral artery using transcranial Doppler sonography, is an effective method for detecting paradoxic cerebral embolism caused by right-to-left intracardiac shunting. This technique is particularly useful in patients with a patent foramen ovale. In patients without temporal acoustic windows, the method can be modified by using sonographic monitoring of the common carotid artery. Observation of saline-contrast microbubbles in the internal jugular vein during this procedure suggests incompetence of the ipsilateral internal jugular valve. This noninvasive method may thus be useful for studying the competence of the internal jugular valve.

• Authors: Disya Ratanakorn, Lawrence G Myers, Charles H Tegeler
• Journal: Journal of clinical ultrasound : JCU (J Clin Ultrasound) Vol. 30 Issue 8 Pg. 506-9 (Oct 2002) ISSN: 0091-2751 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12242741 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 30:506-509, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/jcu.10105

Chemical References

• Contrast Media

Topics

• Aged
• Contrast Media
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Embolism, Air (diagnostic imaging)
• Female
• Heart Septal Defects, Atrial (diagnostic imaging)
• Humans
• Injections, Intravenous
• Jugular Veins (diagnostic imaging)
• Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial (methods)