Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
Point of Care Transcranial Color-Coded Duplex Ultrasound of the Middle Cerebral Artery
Published on: August 9, 2024
Role of transcranial Doppler in neurocritical care
Maher Saqqur1, David Zygun, Andrew Demchuk
1Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Transcranial Doppler has several practical applications in neurocritical care. It has its main application in the diagnosis and monitoring of vasospasm in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. In addition, it holds promise for the detection of critical elevations of intracranial pressure. Its ability to measure CO2 reactivity and autoregulation may ultimately allow intensivists to optimize cerebral perfusion pressure and ventilatory therapy for the individual patient. Transcranial Doppler findings of brain death are well described and can be useful as a screening tool.
Transcranial Doppler has several practical applications in neurocritical care. It has its main application in the diagnosis and monitoring of vasospasm in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. In addition, it holds promise for the detection of critical elevations of intracranial pressure. Its ability to measure CO2 reactivity and autoregulation may ultimately allow intensivists to optimize cerebral perfusion pressure and ventilatory therapy for the individual patient. Transcranial Doppler findings of brain death are well described and can be useful as a screening tool.
