Table 3. Transcranial and extracranial colour-Doppler high-resolution examination (TCCS-ECD) criteria of highly suspected anomalous venous outflow.
| TCCS-ECD criteria | MS-relapsing-remitting (N; %) | MS-secondary progressive (N; %) | MS-primary progressive (N; %) | Whole MS (N; %) | Control populations (N; %) | Odds ratio all MS vs all controls (95% CI) | p Value |
| 1. Reflux constantly present in IJVs and/or VVs with the head at 0° and +90° | 27/35 77% | 15/20 75% | 4/10 40% | 46/65 71% | 0/235 0% | 1123 (67 to 19 000) | <0.0001 |
| 2. Reflux in the deep cerebral veins | 19/35 54% | 12/20 60% | 9/10 90% | 40/65 61% | 0/235 0% | 748 (45 to 12 542) | <0.0001 |
| 3. High resolution B-mode evidence of proximal IJV stenoses | 9/35 26% | 10/20 50% | 5/10 50% | 24/65 37% | 1/235 0% | 137 (18 to 1041) | <0.0001 |
| 4. Flow not Doppler detectable in the IJVs and/or VVs despite numerous deep inspirations with the head at 0° and +90° | 22/35 63% | 7/20 35% | 5/10 50% | 34/65 52% | 7/235 3% | 36 (15 to 88) | <0.0001 |
| 5. Negative ΔCSA in the IJV | 18/35 51% | 13/20 65% | 5/10 50% | 36/65 55% | 25/235 11% | 10 (5 to 20) | <0.0001 |
OR was calculated for each ultra-sonographic criterion by means of the two-sided Fisher exact test, by comparing the whole MS population with the control group.
CSA, cross-sectional area of the internal jugular vein; IJV, internal jugular vein; MS, multiple sclerosis; VV, vertebral vein.