Transcranial color-coded duplex sonography in suspected acute basilar artery occlusion.
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.
Kermer
Pawel
P
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany. pkermer@gwdg.de
Wellmer
Andreas
A
Crome
Olaf
O
Mohr
Alexander
A
Knauth
Michael
M
Bähr
Mathias
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial / Q000379:methods*