Brachiocephalic vessels: methods of investigation

Sometimes outwardly the person looks absolutely healthy, but feels constant weakness and experiences frequent dizziness. An experienced doctor in this case will suspect insufficient blood supply to the brain and suggest examining brachiocephalic vessels. How does such a test go and how does this condition threaten a person?

What are brachiocephalic arteries?

These are the main vessels involved in the blood supply to the soft tissues of the head and brain. For the brain to receive the required amount of blood, its supply involves the carotid, brachiocephalic and left branch of the subclavian artery. But it is the brachiocephalic vessels that play the main role in this important process. Two other arteries can be considered additional ways of blood supply, but in the event of a failure of the main with the task in hand, they can not cope.

What is the Circle?

The sleepy, brachiocephalic and left branch of the subclavian artery at the base of the brain form a vicious circle, it is called Velliziev. The circle is responsible for the uniform supply of all parts of the brain with fresh blood. It includes arteries that supply blood to the right side of the shoulder girdle. If you violate the patency of some part of the circle, the whole system is forced to rebuild, as a result of which the uniform distribution of blood is disturbed. Such a disorder of the cerebral blood supply can have very serious consequences, for example lead to a stroke.

What is atherosclerosis?

Very often brachiocephalic vessels suffer from atherosclerosis. This disease is attributed to chronic processes. It is expressed in the deposition of cholesteric atheromatous plaques in the lumen of the vessel. Plaques lead to proliferation of connective tissue and calcification of the elastic walls, as a result of which the vessel is deformed, narrowed, and sometimes completely clogged.

Medicine distinguishes two types of disease:

1. Neyrostenoziruyuschy , that is, atherosclerosis, in which cholesterol plaques grow in length, not overlapping the lumen of the vessel.
2. Stenosing , that is, atherosclerosis with transverse overgrowing of plaques. This species is more dangerous, since it can completely block the blood flow.

Treatment of atherosclerosis depends on the type and stage of the disease.

Diagnostics

To confirm or refute the cause of the patient's poor health, the doctor prescribes studies of brachiocephalic vessels. For this purpose, modern equipment is used that is not associated with X-ray irradiation, such as ultrasound and ultrasound or magnetic resonance angiography, in which a contrast agent and an X-ray are used.

Conducting a survey

Ultrasound of brachiocephalic vessels is considered to be the optimal method of investigation. Ultrasonic waves allow us to determine both the anatomical state and the degree of patency of the arteries. The procedure is extremely simple and does not require complicated preparation from the patient. The examination is carried out by a special apparatus. The patient is laid on the couch, a roller is placed under the neck. At the request of the diagnostician, the head should be turned to the side opposite to the sensor.

UZDG

In the recent past, brachiocephalic vessels were examined only by dopleography. Doppler allowed to determine the direction and speed of blood flow, but structural changes in the vascular walls could not be estimated. The sensor sent a wave that was reflected from the elements of the blood. Even with its imperfection, the technique saved many human lives, allowing time to restore the blood supply to the brain. When carrying out UZDG brachiocephalic vessels, the display displayed a graph and spectrum, rather than an image of the arteries. Thus, the diagnostician received incomplete information about the patient's condition.

Many doctors still use the method of blind dopplerography, since it does not require large expenditures from either medical institutions or patients. The method reveals only gross violations, but takes little time. If serious problems are detected during the study of brachiocephalic vessels, the patient receives an additional appointment for duplex or triplex scanning.

Duplex scanning

At the heart of this type of examination of the vessels of the neck and head are also ultrasonic waves. The duplex method is called due to the fact that it combines two-dimensional ultrasound with Doppler mode. The technique allows you to see not only the graph and the spectrum of motion, but also get a two-dimensional picture of the brachiocephalic vessel. The screen shows the features of the structure of blood vessels and tissues. For convenience, the movement of blood through the arteries is represented in red, and venous blood in blue.

Duplex scanning of brachiocephalic vessels evaluates the following parameters:

• Volume of blood flow;
• The speed of its movement along the vessels;
• Features of the structure of the arteries and veins;
• Obstructions to the blood flow;
• Condition of adjacent tissues.

The method allows to determine a number of vascular pathologies of brachiocephalic arteries, including atherosclerosis, various vasculitis, angiopathy, structural abnormalities, vascular deformities, aneurysms connecting fistulas between the venous and arterial bloodstream, thromboses and much more.

Triplex study

Do you think that we are talking about a revolutionary breakthrough in the study of the vessels of the neck and head? In fact, the only difference is in the number of evaluation modes. On the screen during the duplex examination 2 evaluation modes, and during triplex - 3. The doctor can be more convenient to view the image, but the quality of diagnosis from this increases slightly. If the cost of the procedure does not play a big role for the patient, then it can undergo a triplex examination. But if the price matters, then a duplex examination for a precise diagnosis will be enough.

Many modern triplex devices have the function of 3D-modeling. In fact, this is a beautiful, expensive picture that can be made for complacency. The doctor does not give additional information.

Preparatory period and contraindications

On the eve of the procedure, special preparation is not required. Ultrasound examination of brachiocephalic vessels can be performed immediately after the appointment, since neither the food nor the physical condition of the patient has a large effect on the result. The only thing that should be abandoned is the use of foods or drinks that cause vasospasm. This is regular tea and coffee, drinks "Pepsi" or "Cola", all kinds of power engineers, alcohol and cigarettes. If the patient takes medication prescribed by the doctor, then it is not necessary to postpone the reception.

Ultrasound of the main blood vessels supplying blood to the brain can be performed even by pregnant and nursing mothers. Contraindications for research can only be fresh neck trauma or pustular lesions in this area. What is connected with the fact that the neck will be affected by the sensor and applied by the gel. Such an effect can aggravate the trauma or lead to the spread of infection on the skin.

What is given out to the patient

The diagnosis is obliged to give the patient a conclusion describing the condition of the examined vessels. Conclusion should contain a maximum of information useful for diagnosing. This and the size of the vessels, and the speed of blood flow, and other parameters. It is desirable to attach pictures of problem areas found by the diagnostician.