Stroke, Vol 12, 317-321, Copyright © 1981 by American Heart Association
Use of combined oculoplethysmography, carotid phonoangiography and Doppler in the non-invasive diagnosis of extracranial carotid occlusive disease
D Kapsch, L Cook, E Lichti and D Silver
One hundred and eight patients were studied with fluid-filled
oculoplethysmography and carotid phonoangiography (OPG-CPA) and by
arteriography. Thirty-two patients also had "Doppler evaluation" of
supraorbital arterial flow. The OPG-CPA correctly predicted the degree of
occlusion in 76% of the involved vessels, including the degree of occlusion
of each carotid for each patient (63%). The OPG-CPA identified at least one
obstructing carotid lesion in 51 of the 56 (91%) patients with obstructing
lesions demonstrated by arteriography. On a per patient basis, which
requires that both carotids be correctly assessed, the OPG-CPA had a false
negative rate of 9.6% and false positive rate of 50%. The supraorbital
artery "Doppler evaluation" had an accuracy rate of 66%, a per patient
false negative rate of 50%, and a per patient false positive rate of 12%.
The OPG-CPA and supraorbital artery "Doppler evaluation" are adjunctive
tests for evaluating patients with cerebral vascular insufficiency and
should not, at present, replace arteriography in symptomatic patients or in
certain asymptomatic patients.