Int J Neurosci. 1998 Jul; 95(1-2): 1-15.

Robotic transcranial Doppler sonography probes and acupuncture.

Litscher G, Schwarz G, Sandner-Kiesling A, Hadolt I.

Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University of Graz, Austria.

The present study shows with a sophisticated quantitative method a change in blood flow velocity in a cerebral artery in response to acupuncture. Monitoring of transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) was examined in 12 healthy volunteers (mean age: 35.2+/-4.4 years; 26-41 years; 4 female, 8 male) before, during and after acupuncture. In all persons the same unspecific scheme of acupuncture with a "general increase of Qi-energy" was used. The measurements were performed with new robotic TCD-probes allowing three-dimensional imaging by using multi-scan methods. The results showed a significant (p < 0.01; ANOVA; Tukey test) increase in mean blood flow velocity, which was measured at different depths of the right middle cerebral artery. Quantitative determination of the physiological effects during acupuncture can lead to a better acceptance of this unconventional complementary medical method.