Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography: experience of 500 patients

The experience of 500 transcranial Doppler (TCD) sonographies at Siriraj Hospital between April 1988- June 1989 were reported. The indications for TCD study were hemiplegia 156 (31.20%), vertigo 119 (23.80%), transient ischemic attack (TIA) 26 (5.20%), hemihypalgesia 14 (2.80%), dysarthria-dysphagia syndrome 13(2.60%), visual problem 13(2.60%), syncope 10(2.00%), memory loss 8(1.60%), aphasia 6(1.20%), carotid bruit 6(1.20%), miscellaneous (artereovenous malformation, aneurysm, arteritis, carotico-cavernous fistula, tinnitus, etc) 25(5.00%), and healthy subjects 92(18.4%). Abnormal TCD studies were found in various conditions of different percentages, i.e. 91.03 per cent in hemiplegia, 76.47 per cent in vertigo, 65.38 per cent in TIA, 71.43 per cent in hemihypalgesia, 61.54 per cent in dysarthria - dysphagia syndrome, 38.46 per cent in visual problem and 30.43 per cent in normal subject. TCD is noninvasive, safe and painless. It is a useful screening test for prophylaxis of cerebrovascular disease in the elderly.