They all differ by the method of revealing flowing blood [6]. 2D TOF MR venography is the most simple of all its three kinds, sensitive to slow flow (which is typical for venous blood flow) and does not even require contrast medium. Though 2D TOF MR venography is less precise than MR venography with contrast medium, it is widely used in preoperative evaluation of the SSS in patients with PSM [6], [7], [8] and [9]. However, the efficacy of this method is limited in low blood flow velocities that occur in substantial invasion and/or compression of the SSS by PSM [9]. As a result there is a dilemma – the more

precise method we use the more it is invasive. Search of the altogether noninvasive and precise

method leads us to sonography, but transcranial sonography is impossible for investigation of the SSS because of deep location ATM inhibitor and an inappropriate angle [10] and [11]. The method of intraoperative color-coded duplex sonography (CCDS) is known but information about it is scant and ambiguous, so we decided to study this method ourselves. Determine potentials of CCDS for intraoperative GSK1120212 research buy evaluation of SSS patency in PSM and compare them with MR venography. 30 patients (20–67 years, mean age 55) with PSM were studied. Intraoperative CCDS (anterior third of the SSS – 7 patients; middle third – 20; posterior third – 3) was conducted with linear ultrasound selleck chemical probe i12L–RS (Vivid E, GE, USA) placed on the superior wall of the SSS after craniotomy. Intraoperative CCDS findings were compared with 2D time-of-flight MR venography (Signa Infinity, GE, USA). There are some important

points that we want to mention. First, the superior wall of the SSS should be free from bone. This can be achieved by bilateral craniotomy or unilateral craniotomy with additional resection of overlying bone with rongeurs. Our attempts to evaluate the SSS through its lateral wall were not successful. Second, hemostatic materials (Surgicel, collagen sponge) should not be used during sonography of the SSS as they hinder propagation of the ultrasound and therefore the quality of the image will be significantly worse. Small bleedings from the SSS were stopped by cauterization, while more significant ones were terminated by applying hemostatic material and then removing it before CCDS. The probe was placed on the superior wall of the SSS and CCDS was performed in two planes – frontal (transverse) and sagittal. In B-mode in the frontal plane the presence, location and degree of intraluminal invasion was evaluated. We used color flow Doppler in the frontal plane only to confirm the presence of flow. In the sagittal plane we used color-mode only, because B-mode is not informative. We do not recommend to evaluate invasion of the SSS only in the sagittal plane since artifact from the lateral wall of the SSS may occur.