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Updated: May 28, 2026
Assessment of Cerebral Lateralization in Children using Functional Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound (fTCD)
Published on: September 27, 2010
Problems with implementing a standardised transcranial Doppler screening programme: impact of instrumentation
Soundrie T Padayachee1, Nicholas Thomas, Andrew J Arnold
1Ultrasonic Angiology Department, Borough Wing, Guy's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, St Thomas Street, London, UK. soundrie.padayachee@gstt.nhs.uk
Background:
The Stroke Prevention Trial in Sickle Cell Anaemia (STOP) demonstrated the value of selective transfusion based on transcranial Doppler (TCD) US screening. This facilitated widespread surveillance, but due to reported differences with non-imaging TCD, imaging velocity thresholds have been reduced in some centres.
Objective:
(1) Retrospectively review velocity measurements obtained by non-imaging and imaging TCD, using a standardised protocol. (2) Determine the impact on STOP classification of different velocity thresholds.
Materials And Methods:
TCD data from 23 children (2-19 years of age) were reviewed. The TCD protocol focused on obtaining the velocity corresponding to the highest audible Doppler frequency. STOP velocity thresholds were the recommended for non-imaging TCD and values reduced by 5-15%.
Results:
Non-imaging and imaging TCD velocities were correlated closely with little overall bias. Reducing imaging TCD velocity thresholds increased the number of abnormal and conditional classifications. Abnormal TCD imaging classifications ranged from 1.9% to 37% depending on the degree of correction applied to the velocity data.
Conclusion:
The current approach for applying STOP thresholds to imaging TCD data may not be required. Centres need to validate their imaging TCD practice to avoid inappropriate selection of patients for transfusion therapy.
