Power Doppler artifacts in evaluating inflammatory arthritis of small joints: comparison with a superb microvascular imaging technique.

ABSTRACT

Conventional Doppler techniques provide clinical information about tissue vascularisation, but they have limitations in detecting low-velocity blood flow. The innovative Doppler technique called superb microvascular imaging provides visualization of microvascular flow never seen before with the ultrasound. The new tool suppresses the noise caused by motion artifacts with an innovative filter system without removing the weak signal arising from small vessel flow, hence it achieves a greater sensitivity than power Doppler. Explanation of motion artifact genesis reveals SMI imaging principles and helps to distinguish false-positive results. Due to the higher SMI sensitivity to flow, there are nuances in the interpretation of other artifacts as well as motion. The paper presents commonly encountered artifacts of power Doppler compared with a novel microvascular imaging technique focused on a small joints inflammation. The main attention is intent on the practical recommendations for ultrasound machine settings and evaluation of comparable images.