Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
14:58
Comprehensive Endovascular and Open Surgical Management of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations
Published on: October 20, 2017
CT angiography as a confirmatory test in brain death
Stefan Welschehold1, Stephan Boor, Katharina Reuland
1Department of Neurosurgery, University Medicine Mainz, Johannes-Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany. welscheh@uni-mainz.de
Acta Neurochirurgica. Supplement
|February 14, 2012
Summary
CT angiography shows no intracranial contrast enhancement in patients with brain death, indicating circulatory arrest. This minimally invasive technique is a promising, accessible tool for diagnosing brain death.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- The diagnostic accuracy of CT angiography for brain death remains uncertain.
- Established ancillary tests for brain death diagnosis include EEG and TCD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate intracranial contrast enhancement using CT angiography in clinically diagnosed brain death.
- To compare CT angiography findings with electroencephalography (EEG) and transcranial Doppler (TCD) results.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study conducted from April 2008 to January 2010.
- 40 patients (age 18-88 years) meeting clinical brain death criteria underwent EEG, TCD, and CT angiography.
- CT angiography assessed intracranial contrast enhancement patterns.
Main Results:
- All patients showed opacification of major cervical arteries (carotid, vertebral) and superficial temporal artery on CT angiography.
- 37 out of 40 patients demonstrated absent opacification in key intracranial arteries (MCA, ACA, PCA) and basilar artery (BA).
Conclusions:
- CT angiography is a highly sensitive and specific method for detecting intracranial circulatory arrest in brain death.
- Its high resolution, accessibility, operator independence, and low cost make it a valuable addition to existing brain death diagnostic tools.
