In case of disorders of the cardiovascular system, frequent headaches, dizziness, and many other diseases, the doctor prescribes a duplex scanning of BCA for the patient to diagnose the condition. What it is? Ultrasound examination of the BCA - the study of the main (brachiocephalic) arteries using ultrasound
general information
Each person has a brachiocephalic artery (BCA) - carotid, subclavian, vertebral. The place of their connection is called the brachiocephalic trunk. The main vessels and some branches form a single Wellisian circle, the main task of which is the distribution of blood movement to all parts of the brain. When establishing a diagnosis, the doctor must evaluate all the characteristics of the state of the arteries, their functionality. If at least one of them shows disorders or pathology, then this can lead to a malfunction of the entire vascular system and, as a result, to a stroke.
To check the brachiocephalic arteries , a non-invasive diagnostic method is used - duplex scanning of BCA vessels. The apparatus for studying arteries operates on the principles of echolocation. The information received is displayed on a monitor in digital format, so that a clear picture is available for the specialist to visually examine the vessels. The method combines the ability to track the work of arteries and adjacent tissues with the help of ultrasound and Dopplerography, with the help of which the characteristics of blood movement through the artery (speed, volume, presence of blockages, etc.) are evaluated.
Method informativeness
Currently, the opportunity to conduct such a diagnosis is in almost every clinic. The method is popular because it provides a large and comprehensive array of information. The main task of the doctor is to give a correct decoding of the received data.
Duplex scanning of brachiocephalic arteries (BCA) shows the following:
- Vascular patency.
- Determines the presence of pathologies (congenital, acquired).
- It clearly demonstrates the state of the walls of arteries and blood vessels (thickness, width of the lumen of the artery, uniformity of the epithelium, etc.).
- Reflects the intensity of blood flow, the nature of the movement of blood through the vessels.
- Detects lesions of arteries, for example atherosclerosis and its severity.
- Shows the individual features of the location, the development of BCA.
A hardware study allows you to examine the artery from all sides, identify the disease in the initial stage, when the symptoms have not yet manifested, determine the presence of atherosclerotic plaques on the walls of the arteries, and much more.
A quality tool for a doctor
Using the BCA ultrasound method, a specialist diagnoses a list of diseases without interfering with the body:
- Stenosis - narrowing of the walls of blood vessels / arteries. At the initial stage, the doctor and patient can avoid ischemic stroke with the right therapy strategy.
- Aneurysm - appears on the walls of the vessels of the brain, is a neoplasm. Aneurysm is a dangerous disease, in the absence of treatment leads to hemorrhage in the tissues.
- Atherosclerosis is a leader among vascular diseases. Atherosclerotic plaques form in the patient, as they become denser and grow, they block the blood vessels of the brain, causing a stroke.
Diagnostic Benefits
The condition of the main arteries is one of the indicators of the health of each person, the ability to quickly diagnose often saves the lives of many patients.
Duplex scanning of the vessels of the head and neck (BCA) has the following advantages:
- Non-invasiveness - the complete absence of a penetrating effect on the body.
- Safety - the radiation of the device does not do any harm, neither radiation nor radiation exposure is on the body. You can carry out the procedure for pregnant women and infants. The number of sessions is not limited either in time or in frequency of appointments.
- Informational content - Doppler ultrasonography of BCA allows you to diagnose even those disorders that do not have clinical manifestations, all the slightest deviations will be visible during the study, which allows you to prescribe preventive procedures. In critical cases, an immediate course of therapy will protect the patient from stroke, heart attack and other fatal diseases.
- Accessibility - duplex scanning of the BCA of the vessels of the neck, head lasts from 30 to 60 minutes. During the procedure, the doctor can fully assess the condition, and the patient can understand how his vessels work.
In which cases a study is prescribed
BCA duplex scanning is recommended for everyone. A healthy person needs only once a year during a routine examination. Doctors distinguish several categories of the population at risk, for which a vascular scan is vital. These include:
- People whose age has passed the mark of 40 years.
- Elderly patients.
- People with blood relatives with vascular disease.
- Smokers with experience of more than 15 years of smoking.
- Patients with diabetes mellitus, obesity, autoimmune vascular pathologies, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
- Patients with metabolic syndrome, cerebrovascular accident.
The doctor may prescribe a duplex scan of the BCA in such cases:
- Deterioration of concentration of attention, memory.
- Dizziness of unknown origin.
- Visual disturbance (the appearance of a veil, flies in front of the eyes).
- Frequent headaches
- Recurring cases of fainting.
- Shaky gait, impaired coordination.
- Tinnitus (throbbing in the temples).
- Jumps in blood pressure (sharp decrease, sharp increase).
- Lethargy, general weakness, blurring of visual perception, etc.
Indications for mandatory diagnosis
The following diseases and conditions are direct indications for conducting a duplex scanning of BCA:
- Vegetovascular dystonia.
- Vascular lesions.
- Neoplasms in the neck.
- Preparation for cardiac interventions.
- Postoperative diagnostics (cardiology, vessels of the head, neck).
- A number of blood diseases.
- Vasculitis, compression of the arteries.
- Manifestations of oxygen starvation.
Preparation and conduct
Diagnosis does not require special preparation, but basic rules must be observed so as not to distort the picture of the study:
- The patient is advised to refuse spicy, fatty foods, energy and alcoholic drinks. Also excluded coffee, strong tea, salty foods. The use of such products leads to increased vascular tone, accelerates blood circulation, which will lead to an incorrect assessment of the condition.
- Before conducting the study, an unhurried walk in the fresh air is recommended.
- If the patient takes certain medications, then the specialist may suggest temporarily abandoning them (without harming health). For everyone, refusal of vitamin complexes, drugs that improve memory and concentration, is mandatory for several days before diagnosis.
BCA duplex scanning for a patient is a simple procedure, can be performed in an outpatient setting. Implementation is provided by the same instrumental base as the ultrasound investigation. The patient needs to take a comfortable position, to release the necessary part of the body from clothes, to relax. The session takes from 20 to 60 minutes.
Decryption
BCA duplex scanning is the key to diagnosing a variety of abnormalities, diseases, or congenital abnormalities that have little or no effect. Nevertheless, any anomalies or prerequisites for the disease have their consequences and explain the general condition of the patient. For example, the diagnosis of thickening of the walls of blood vessels causes suspicion of Takayasu syndrome. In its manifestations and clinical picture, it is very similar to atherosclerosis. The study can demonstrate the difference between the upper blood pressure in the shoulders, this symptom reflects a blockage of the vessels of the vertebral artery.
Reading and deciphering the results is the task of a neurologist or vascular surgeon. A normal vessel has a uniform surface, a sufficient width of the lumen and wall thickness, ensuring uninterrupted movement of blood flow. The doctor, describing the diagnostic results, indicates the characteristics of the deformations, their location, quality indicators, type of vascular lesion.
To determine the degree of deviation, research data is compared with normal values. Based on the results obtained, a diagnosis of diseases of the arteries, heart, brain is carried out. BCA duplex scanning is an intermediate procedure, the final diagnosis requires additional measures and analyzes.
What pay attention
When deciphering, the main indicators are blood flow, which reflects the diastolic and systolic speed of blood flow, resistance and diameter of the investigated vessel. Any deviations from normal values in the direction of decreasing or increasing signal the presence of the disease.
Also, in the transcript of the study, the peculiarities of the state of the vessels, the existing changes, pathologies, etc. are indicated. In some cases, diagnostics are done with horizontal and vertical position of the body for an in-depth study of state changes.
Diagnostics in Omsk and St. Petersburg
BCA duplex scanning in Omsk is offered to be performed by more than 65 medical institutions, among them:
- Center "Artmed", the cost of 990 rubles.
- Central Clinical Hospital, the price of the procedure starts from 600 rubles.
- FMBA Center, the cost of vascular diagnostics is from 1100 rubles.
- The railway hospital set the cost of the study from 785 rubles.
- Ministry of Emergency Situations No. 9 offers duplex scanning with a starting cost of 750 rubles.
BCA duplex scanning in St. Petersburg is provided by more than 530 clinics of state and private ownership. The price ranges from 480 to 6500 rubles. For instance:
- Research for children in the center of ultrasound "Medica" - 1550 rubles.
- The Pirogov Center on the Fontanka carries out the procedure at a price of 2200 rubles.
- Hospital №40 in Sestroretsk offers duplex scanning of BCA at a cost of 900 rubles.
- The Research Institute of Phthisiopulmonology evaluates the study of blood vessels with a starting price of 1,500 rubles.
Each patient independently determines where to go through a duplex BCA scan, most often the attending physician gives the direction to the study. In some clinics, this type of diagnosis is free - according to the policies of compulsory medical insurance.