Transcranial Doppler sonography is a noninvasive, real-time physiologic monitor that can detect altered cerebral hemodynamics during catastrophic brain injury. Recent data suggest that transcranial Doppler sonography may provide important information about cerebrovascular hemodynamics in children with traumatic brain injury, intracranial hypertension, vasospasm, stroke, cerebrovascular disorders, central nervous system infections, and brain death. Information derived from transcranial Doppler sonography in these disorders may elucidate underlying pathophysiologic characteristics, predict outcomes, monitor responses to treatment, and prompt a change in management. We review emerging applications for transcranial Doppler sonography in the pediatric intensive care unit with case illustrations from our own experience.
Keywords: Doppler sonography; central nervous system infections; cerebrovascular disease/stroke; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; neurosonology; pediatric intensive care unit; pediatric ultrasound; sonography; transcranial; traumatic brain injury.
© 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.