Color flow Doppler (ultrasound)
Citation, DOI & article data
- Colour Doppler imaging
- Colour Doppler
- Colour flow Doppler (CFD)
- CDI
- Color Doppler imaging
- Color Doppler
The use of color flow Doppler (CFD) or color Doppler imaging (CDI) (or simply color Doppler) sonography allows the visualization of flow direction and velocity within a user defined area. A region of interest is defined by the sonographer, and the Doppler shifts of returning ultrasound waves within are color-coded based on average velocity and direction.
On this page:
Physics
In a manner similar to pulsed wave Doppler (PWD), color flow Doppler utilizes intermittent sampling of ultrasound waves thereby avoiding the range ambiguity characteristic of continuous wave Doppler (CWD). Pulsed wave Doppler, however, is limited to the interrogation of flow velocity and direction along a single line at a certain depth (defined by the sample volume or gate); Color flow Doppler simultaneously interrogates multiple sample volumes (with each pixel representing a sample volume) along an array of scan lines 1.
Information regarding the flow velocity and direction is arbitrarily color-coded and rendered onto a grey-scale (or M-mode) image. Flow that travels away from the transducer (negative Doppler shift) is depicted in blue, and flow that is traveling toward the transducer (positive Doppler shift) is depicted in red, with lighter shades of each color denoting higher velocities. A third color, usually green or yellow, is often used to denote areas of high flow turbulence. These colors are user-definable and may be reversed, however this is generally inadvisable as it may confuse later readers of the images.
When the Nyquist limit is reached, however, aliasing results in apparent flow direction occurring in the opposite direction to actual flow, a limitation shared with pulsed wave Doppler. The velocity at which flow aliases is further impacted by the transducer used and the depth at which one is insonating flow.
Clinical use
Color flow Doppler is used frequently in sonography to semiquantitative overall blood flow to a region of interest. Depiction of the general velocity and direction of blood flow within the heart and blood vessels is of primary importance in echocardiography and vascular ultrasound respectively. It also allows the generation of unique phenomena such as the fluid color sign or the twinkling artifact and allows the targeting of spectral Doppler for a quantitative assessment of blood flow 2.
Techniques
There are several general parameters that need to be taken into account to obtain an optimum color flow Doppler scan: types of transducers, location and number of focal zones, depth of field, 2D gain setting, scan orientation, and image zoom, Specific color flow Doppler settings such as color and spectral parameters should also be optimized.5
A high 2D gain setting would suppress the color flow data while a low gain setting will highlight the color Doppler information.5
Increasing the depth of field would slow the frame rate while reducing the depth of field would increase the frame rate.5
Using multiple focal zones would reduce the frame rate, thus single focal zone is preferred for the color Doppler study to improve the frame rate.5
Setting a very high color velocity scale would show an apparent absence of flow while setting a very low color velocity scale would show aliasing of the flow signals.5
History and etymology
Named after Austrian physicist, Christian Andreas Doppler (1803-1853) 4.
References
- 1. Ravi Rasalingam, Majesh Makan, Julio E. Perez. The Washington Manual of Echocardiography. (2012) ISBN: 9781451113402
- 2. Yang P. Applications of colour Doppler ultrasound in the diagnosis of chest diseases. (1997) Respirology (Carlton, Vic.). 2 (3): 231-8. Pubmed
- 3. Bob Jarman. Emergency Point-of-Care Ultrasound. (2017) ISBN: 9780470657577
- 4. Katsi V, Felekos I, Kallikazaros I. Christian Andreas Doppler: A legendary man inspired by the dazzling light of the stars. (2013) Hippokratia. 17 (2): 113-4. Pubmed
- 5. Kruskal J, Newman P, Sammons L, Kane R. Optimizing Doppler and Color Flow US: Application to Hepatic Sonography. Radiographics. 2004;24(3):657-75. doi:10.1148/rg.243035139 - Pubmed
Related articles: Imaging technology
- imaging technology
- imaging physics
- imaging in practice
-
x-rays
- x-ray physics
- x-ray in practice
- x-ray production
- x-ray tube
- filters
- automatic exposure control (AEC)
- beam collimators
- grids
- air gap technique
- cassette
- intensifying screen
- x-ray film
- image intensifier
- digital radiography
- digital image
- mammography
- x-ray artifacts
- radiation units
- radiation safety
- radiation detectors
- fluoroscopy
-
computed tomography (CT)
- CT physics
- CT in practice
- CT technology
- CT image reconstruction
- CT image quality
- CT dose
-
CT contrast media
-
iodinated contrast media
- agents
- water soluble
- water insoluble
- vicarious contrast material excretion
- iodinated contrast media adverse reactions
- agents
- non-iodinated contrast media
-
iodinated contrast media
-
CT artifacts
- patient-based artifacts
- physics-based artifacts
- hardware-based artifacts
- ring artifact
- tube arcing
- out of field artifact
- air bubble artifact
- helical and multichannel artifacts
- CT safety
- history of CT
-
MRI
- MRI physics
- MRI in practice
- MRI hardware
- signal processing
-
MRI pulse sequences (basics | abbreviations | parameters)
- T1 weighted image
- T2 weighted image
- proton density weighted image
- chemical exchange saturation transfer
- CSF flow studies
- diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)
- echo-planar pulse sequences
- fat-suppressed imaging sequences
- gradient echo sequences
- inversion recovery sequences
- metal artifact reduction sequence (MARS)
-
perfusion-weighted imaging
- techniques
- derived values
- saturation recovery sequences
- spin echo sequences
- spiral pulse sequences
- susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI)
- T1 rho
- MR angiography (and venography)
-
MR spectroscopy (MRS)
- 2-hydroxyglutarate peak: resonates at 2.25 ppm
- alanine peak: resonates at 1.48 ppm
- choline peak: resonates at 3.2 ppm
- citrate peak: resonates at 2.6 ppm
- creatine peak: resonates at 3.0 ppm
- functional MRI (fMRI)
- gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) peak: resonates at 2.2-2.4 ppm
- glutamine-glutamate peak: resonates at 2.2-2.4 ppm
- Hunter's angle
- lactate peak: resonates at 1.3 ppm
- lipids peak: resonates at 1.3 ppm
- myoinositol peak: resonates at 3.5 ppm
- MR fingerprinting
- N-acetylaspartate (NAA) peak: resonates at 2.0 ppm
- propylene glycol peak: resonates at 1.13 ppm
-
MRI artifacts
- MRI hardware and room shielding
- MRI software
- patient and physiologic motion
- tissue heterogeneity and foreign bodies
- Fourier transform and Nyquist sampling theorem
- MRI contrast agents
- MRI safety
-
ultrasound
- ultrasound physics
-
transducers
- linear array
- convex array
- phased array
- frame averaging (frame persistence)
- ultrasound image resolution
- imaging modes and display
- pulse-echo imaging
- real-time imaging
-
Doppler imaging
- Doppler effect
- color Doppler
- power Doppler
- B flow
- color box
- Doppler angle
- pulse repetition frequency and scale
- wall filter
- color write priority
- packet size (dwell time)
- peak systolic velocity
- end-diastolic velocity
- resistive index
- pulsatility index
- Reynolds number
- panoramic imaging
- compound imaging
- harmonic imaging
- elastography
- scanning modes
- 2D ultrasound
- 3D ultrasound
- 4D ultrasound
- M-mode
-
ultrasound artifacts
- acoustic shadowing
- acoustic enhancement
- beam width artifact
- reverberation artifact
- ring down artifact
- mirror image artifact
- side lobe artifact
- speckle artifact
- speed displacement artifact
- refraction artifact
- multipath artifact
- anisotropy
- electrical interference artifact
- hardware-related artifacts
- Doppler artifacts
- aliasing
- tissue vibration
- spectral broadening
- blooming
- motion (flash) artifact
- twinkling artifact
- acoustic streaming
- biological effects of ultrasound
- history of ultrasound
-
nuclear medicine
- nuclear medicine physics
- detectors
- tissue to background ratio
-
radiopharmaceuticals
- fundamentals of radiopharmaceuticals
- radiopharmaceutical labeling
- radiopharmaceutical production
- nuclear reactor produced radionuclides
- cyclotron produced radionuclides
- radiation detection
- dosimetry
- specific agents
- carbon-11
- chromium-51
- fluorine agents
- gallium agents
- Ga-67 citrate
- Ga-68
- iodine agents
-
I-123
- I-123 iodide
- I-123 ioflupane (DaTSCAN)
- I-123 ortho-iodohippurate
- I-131
-
MIBG scans
- I-123 MIBG
- I-131 MIBG
-
I-123
- indium agents
- In-111 Octreoscan
- In-111 OncoScint
- In-111 Prostascint
- In-111 oxine labeled WBC
- krypton-81m
- nitrogen-13
- oxygen-15
- phosphorus-32
- selenium-75
-
technetium agents
- Tc-99m DMSA
- Tc-99m DTPA
- Tc-99m DTPA aerosol
- Tc-99m HMPAO
- Tc-99m HMPAO labeled WBC
- Tc-99m MAA
- Tc-99m MAG3
- Tc-99m MDP
- Tc-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine
- Tc-99m pertechnetate
- Tc-99m labeled RBC
- Tc-99m sestamibi
- Tc-99m sulfur colloid
- Tc-99m sulfur colloid (oral)
- thallium-201 chloride
- xenon agents
- in vivo therapeutic agents
- pharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine
-
emerging methods in medical imaging
- radiography
- phase-contrast imaging
- CT
- deep-learning reconstruction
- photon counting CT
- virtual non-contrast imaging
- ultrasound
- magnetomotive ultrasound (MMUS)
- superb microvascular imaging
- ultrafast Doppler imaging
- ultrasound localization microscopy
- MRI
- nuclear medicine
- total body PET system
- immuno-PET
- miscellaneous
- radiography
Related articles: Imaging in practice
- imaging in practice
-
general radiography (adult)
- portable radiography
- chest radiography
- abdominal radiography
-
upper limb radiography
-
shoulder girdle radiography
- scapula series
-
shoulder series
- shoulder (AP view)
- shoulder (internal rotation view)
- shoulder (external rotation view)
- shoulder (superior-inferior axial view)
- shoulder (inferior-superior axial)
- shoulder (West Point view)
- shoulder (Velpeau view)
- shoulder (modified trauma axial view)
- shoulder (supine lateral view)
- shoulder (modified transthoracic supine lateral)
- shoulder (lateral scapula view)
- shoulder (AP glenoid view)
- shoulder (Garth view)
- shoulder (outlet view)
- shoulder (Stryker notch view)
- acromioclavicular joint series
-
clavicle series
- clavicle (AP view)
- clavicle (AP cephalic view)
- clavicle (oblique view)
- sternoclavicular joint series
- arm and forearm radiography
- wrist and hand radiography
- wrist series
- scaphoid series
- hand series
- thumb series
- fingers series
- rheumatology hands series
- bone age (radiograph)
-
shoulder girdle radiography
-
lower limb radiography
- pelvic girdle radiography
- thigh and leg radiography
- ankle and foot radiography
- skull radiography
-
paranasal sinus and facial bone radiography
- facial bones
- mandible
- nasal bone
- zygomatic arches
- paranasal sinuses
- temporal bones
- dental radiography
- orthopantomography
- temporomandibular joints
- temporomandibular joint (AP axial view)
- temporomandibular joint (axiolateral oblique view)
-
spinal radiography
- cervical spine series
-
thoracic spine series
- thoracic spine (AP view)
- thoracic spine (lateral view)
- thoracic spine (oblique view)
- lumbar spine series
- sacrococcygeal radiography
- scoliosis radiography
-
pediatric radiography
- radiographic positioning terminology
- systematic radiographic technical evaluation (mnemonic)
- pediatric immobilization
- foreign body ingestion series (pediatric)
- foreign body inhalation series (pediatric)
- shunt series
- chest radiograph (pediatric)
- abdomen radiograph (pediatric)
- upper limb radiography (pediatric)
-
lower limb radiography (pediatric)
- pelvis radiograph (pediatric)
- femur series (pediatric)
- pediatric femur (AP view)
- pediatric femur (lateral view)
- leg length view
- knee series (pediatric)
- pediatric knee (AP view)
- pediatric knee (lateral view)
- tibia fibula series (pediatric)
- pediatric tibia fibula (AP view)
- pediatric tibia fibula (lateral view)
- pediatric tibia fibula (oblique view)
- ankle series (pediatric)
- foot series (pediatric)
- skull radiography (pediatric)
- spine radiography (pediatric)
-
skeletal survey
-
skeletal survey (non-accidental injury)
- torso
- pediatric chest (AP erect view)
- pediatric chest (oblique ribs view)
- pediatric abdomen (AP supine view)
- pediatric spine (whole lateral view)
- upper limb (both sides)
- lower limb (both sides)
- pediatric femur (AP view)
- pediatric knee (lateral view)
- pediatric tibia fibula (AP view)
- pediatric ankle (lateral view)
- pediatric foot (DP view)
- torso
-
skeletal survey (non-accidental injury)
-
CT
- iodinated contrast media
- CT IV contrast media administration
-
CT protocol
- composite
- whole-body CT (protocol)
- CT Chest abdomen-pelvis (protocol)
- CT NCAP (neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis)
- head & neck
- chest
- abdomen and pelvis
- CT abdomen-pelvis (protocol)
- CT abdominal aorta
- CT adrenals (protocol)
- CT cholangiography (protocol)
- CT colonography (protocol)
- CT enteroclysis (protocol)
- CT enterography (protocol)
- CT gastrography (protocol)
- CT kidneys, ureters and bladder (protocol)
- CT urography (protocol)
- CT Renal mass (protocol)
- CT angiography of the splanchnic vessels (protocol)
- CT renal split bolus
- CT pancreas (protocol)
- liver
- composite
- barium studies
-
MRI
- cine imaging
-
brain
- screen protocol
- stereotaxis protocol
- tumor protocol
- stroke protocol
- infection protocol
- trauma protocol
- demyelination protocol
- epilepsy protocol
- neurodegenerative protocol
- trigeminal neuralgia protocol
- posterior fossa protocol
- temporal bone/IAM/CPA protocol
- pineal and tectal plate protocol
- pituitary gland protocol
- CSF flow
- angiographic protocols
- MRA
- circle of Willis (COW)
- carotid-vertebral system
- MRV
- MRA
- head and neck
- orbits protocol
- sinonasal tract protocol
- salivary glands protocol
- oropharynx and oral cavity protocol
- suprahyoid neck protocol
- infrahyoid neck protocol
- chest
- mediastinum
- cardiac
- abdomen and pelvis
- abdomen
- liver and biliary tree
- liver protocol
- MRCP: cholangiopancreatography
- pancreas protocol
- elastography
- anus and rectum
- uterus and ovaries
- urological
- prostate cancer protocol
- bladder cancer protocol
- kidneys protocol
- musculoskeletal
-
ultrasound
- ultrasound signs
-
obstetric ultrasound
- other
- placenta
-
second trimester
- fetal biometry
- fetal morphology assessment
-
soft markers
- nuchal fold thickness
- ventriculomegaly
- absent nasal bone
- echogenic intracardiac focus
- choroid plexus cysts
- echogenic bowel
- aberrant right subclavian artery
- amnioreduction
- echogenic fetal bowel
- umbilical artery Doppler assessment
- chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis
- nuchal translucency
- failed early pregnancy
- subchorionic hematoma
- multiple gestations
- ectopic pregnancy
-
first trimester and early pregnancy
- gestational sac
- yolk sac
- embryo/fetus
- amnion
- chorion
- Beta-hCG levels
- gynecologic ultrasound
- vascular ultrasound
- carotids
- extremities
- mesenteric vessels
- other
- breast ultrasound
-
musculoskeletal ultrasound
- technique/artifacts
- ultrasound of arthropathies
- skin/soft tissue ultrasound
- lipoma
- parasitic infection
- other
- pediatric musculoskeletal ultrasound
- ankle/foot ultrasound
-
knee ultrasound
- Baker cyst (popliteal cyst)
- infrapatellar bursitis
- hip ultrasound
- hand ultrasound
- wrist ultrasound
- elbow ultrasound
- shoulder ultrasound
- liver ultrasound
- hyperechoic liver lesion
- sonographic halo sign
- ultrasound appearances of liver metastases
- periportal hyperechogenicity
- periportal hypoechogenicity
- generalized increase in hepatic echogenicity
- generalized reduced hepatic echogenicity
- coarsened hepatic echotexture
- starry sky appearance (ultrasound)
- normal hepatic vein Doppler
- hepatic arterial resistive index
- gallbladder ultrasound
- pancreatic ultrasound
- gastrointestinal ultrasound
- renal ultrasound
- bladder ultrasound
-
testicular and scrotal ultrasound
- other
- epididymis
- paratesticular lesions
- bilateral testicular lesion
-
unilateral testicular lesion
- testicular torsion
- orchitis
- testicular rupture
-
germ cell tumor of the testis
- testicular seminoma
-
non seminomatous germ cell tumors
- mixed germ cell tumor
- yolk sac tumor (endodermal sinus tumor)
- embryonal cell carcinoma
- choriocarcinoma
- testicular teratoma
- testicular epidermoid (teratoma with ectodermal elements only)
- burned out testis tumor
- sex cord / stromal tumors of the testis
- prostate ultrasound
- neck and thyroid ultrasound
- echocardiography
- speckle tracking echocardiography
- fetal echocardiography
- contrast-enhanced echocardiography
- epicardial echocardiography
- three dimensional (3D) echocardiography
- transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)
- transthoracic echocardiography (TTE)
- left ventricular systolic and diastolic function
- structure and morphology
- systolic function
- diastolic function
- right ventricular assessment
- right and left atria
- valvular structure and function
- mitral valve
- aortic valve
- pulmonic valve
- tricuspid valve
- hemodynamics
- pericardium
- cardiomyopathies
- congenital heart disease
- great vessels
- pediatric ultrasound
- ultrasound interventions
- ultrasound-guided biopsy
- ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage
- ultrasound-guided musculoskeletal interventions
- joint injection
- nerve blocks
- ultrasound-guided intravenous cannulation
- contrast-enhanced ultrasound
- physics and imaging modes
- grey-scale (B-mode)
- motion mode (M-mode)
- color flow Doppler (CFD)
-
spectral Doppler
- pulsed wave Doppler (PWD)
- continuous wave Doppler (CWD)
- superb microvascular imaging (SMI)
- tissue Doppler imaging (TDI)
- nuclear medicine
-
radiation therapy
- external beam radiation therapy (EBRT)
- sealed source radiation therapy (brachytherapy)
- unsealed source radiation therapy
-
interventional
- procedure overview
- neck
- thyroid gland
- breast
- chest
- hepatobiliary
- splenic interventions
- gastrointestinal
- urogenital
- bladder
- kidney
- prostate
- musculoskeletal
-
arthrogram
- MR arthrogram
- CT arthrogram
- anesthetic arthrogram
- bone biopsy (CT-guided)
-
arthrogram
- upper limb
- lower limb
-
hip
- hip joint injection (technique)
- greater trochanteric bursa injection
- gluteus minimus/medius tendon calcific tendinopathy barbotage
- iliopsoas tendon bursa injection
- lateral cutaneous femoral nerve of the thigh injection
- piriformis injection
- common hamstrings origin injections
-
knee
- common peroneal (fibular) nerve injection
- knee joint injection
- patella tendon microtenotomy
- quadriceps tendon microtenotomy
- tibial nerve injection
-
ankle
- achilles hydrodilation & microtenotomy
- ankle joint injection
- extensor tendon sheath injection
- flexor tendon sheath injection
- os trigonum injection
- peroneal tendon sheath injection
- subtalar joint injection
- tibial nerve injection
-
foot
- calcaneocuboid joint injection
- metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) injection
- naviculocuneiform joint injection
- plantar fascia microtenotomy
- subtalar joint injection
- talonavicular joint injection
- tarsometatarsal joint (TMTJ) injection
-
hip
- spine
- breast imaging
-
mammography
- breast screening
- breast imaging and the technologist
- forbidden (check) areas in mammography
-
mammography views
- craniocaudal view
- mediolateral oblique view
- additional (supplementary) views
- true lateral view
- lateromedial oblique view
- late mediolateral view
- step oblique views
- spot view
- double spot compression view
- magnification view
- exaggerated craniocaudal (axillary) view
- cleavage view
- tangential views
- caudocranial view
- bullseye CC view
- rolled CC view
- elevated craniocaudal projection
- caudal cranial projection
- 20° oblique projection
- inferomedial superolateral oblique projection
- Eklund technique
- normal breast imaging examples
-
mammography
- digital breast tomosynthesis
- breast ultrasound
- breast ductography
- breast MRI
- breast morphology
- breast intervention