Transcranial ultrasound from diagnosis to early stroke treatment. 1. Feasibility of prehospital cerebrovascular assessment.
BACKGROUND
To test whether portable duplex ultrasound devices can be used in a prehospital '911' emergency situation to assess intracranial arteries.


METHODS
Non-contrast-enhanced transcranial duplex ultrasound studies were performed either immediately at the site of the emergency (i.e. private home) or after transfer into the emergency helicopter/ambulance vehicle.


RESULTS
A total of 25 patients were enrolled. In 5/25 cases, intracranial vessels could not be visualized due to insufficient quality of the temporal bone window. In 20/25 cases, bilateral visualization and Doppler flow measurements of the middle cerebral artery could be assessed in a mean time less than 2 min.


CONCLUSIONS
Emergency assessment of intracranial arteries using portable duplex ultrasound devices is feasible shortly after arrival at the patient's site.
Holscher
Thilo
T
Department of Radiology and Neuroscience, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92103-8756, USA. thoelscher@ucsd.edu
Schlachetzki
Felix
F
Zimmermann
Markus
M
Jakob
Wolfgang
W
Ittner
Karl Peter
KP
Haslberger
Johann
J
Bogdahn
Ulrich
U
Boy
Sandra
S
D017732:Air Ambulances; D000552:Ambulances; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D004635:Emergency Medicine; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis; D009462:Neurology; D010348:Patient Care Team; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013997:Time Factors; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial