Transcranial color-coded duplex sonography in suspected acute basilar artery occlusion

Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology
Pawel KermerMathias Bähr

Abstract

Transcranial color-coded duplex sonography (TCDS) is a noninvasive, quick and inexpensive diagnostic tool used routinely to assess vascular abnormalities in cerebral ischemia. The value of TCDS for diagnosis and follow-up of acute basilar artery (BA) ischemia in comparison/combination with spiral CT angiography (CTA) and/or digital subtraction angiography (DSA) has not yet been studied. We prospectively studied 15 consecutive patients with clinically suspected acute BA occlusion (BAO) by TCDS as well as 3 to 5 d later in those with proven BAO. BA ischemia was verified in 11 patients. During follow-up, all BAO patients showed recanalization of the BA independent of thrombolytic treatment. In conclusion, TCDS appears to be an efficient method for BAO diagnosis when immediate angiography is not available. Together with CTA it increases diagnostic safety before performing an invasive and cost-intensive DSA.

Citations

Nov 15, 2011·Neurología : publicación oficial de la Sociedad Española de Neurología·J Fernández DomínguezS Calleja Puerta
Oct 22, 2011·Lancet Neurology·Heinrich P MattleGerhard Schroth
Feb 25, 2011·Neurosurgery·Thomas GeeraertsBernard Vigué
Mar 8, 2008·Stroke; a Journal of Cerebral Circulation·Georgios TsivgoulisAndrei V Alexandrov
May 30, 2015·Stroke; a Journal of Cerebral Circulation·Sebastian E BeyerWieland H Sommer

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