METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ASSESSING COLLATERAL BLOOD FLOW TO A TISSUE REGION OF INTEREST

摘要

The present invention is directed to a method and system for use in assessing collateral blood flow to a tissue region of interest (ROI). The method includes the steps of obtaining a first pulsatility measurement (100) and a second pulsatility measurement (200), wherein one of the pulsatility measurements is obtained with a plurality of arteries supplying blood to the tissue ROI and the other pulsatility measurement is obtained with at least a selected one of such arteries substantially occluded. The method further provides for use of the first and second pulsatility measurements to generate a collateral flow value (300) useful to medical personnel as an objective measure in assessing collateral blood flow to a tissue ROI. The method may further include the step of obtaining a check pulsatility measurement after obtaining a first pulsatility measurement and prior to obtaining a second pulsatility measurement (400), wherein all of the plurality of the arteries are substantially occluded. The check procedure (400) enhances the reliability of a second pulsatility measurement obtained when a selected one of the arteries is substantially occluded.