Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 16, 2026
Analysis of Cerebral Vasospasm in a Murine Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage with High Frequency Transcranial Duplex Ultrasound
Published on: June 3, 2021
[Transcranial doppler in sickle cell disease (SCD) in Malagasy children]
Nicolas Fanantenana Herinirina1, Lova Hasina Ny Ony Narindra Rajaonarison2, Andry Roussel Herijoelison3
1AService Imagerie Médicale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d'Antsiranana, Madagascar.
Insights
Children with sickle cell disease exhibit higher cerebral circulation speeds, as measured by transcranial Doppler. These velocities correlate with hemoglobin levels and age, indicating potential stroke risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
- Vascular Medicine
Background:
- Sickle cell disease (SCD) poses a significant risk for cerebrovascular complications, including stroke.
- Early detection of at-risk children is crucial for timely intervention.
- Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound is a valuable non-invasive tool for assessing cerebral blood flow in pediatric SCD patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate cerebral artery velocimetry in Malagasy children with sickle cell disease compared to healthy controls.
- To identify potential correlations between cerebral blood flow parameters and clinical factors in pediatric SCD.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 57 children with SCD and 43 controls, aged 24 months to 15 years.
- Cerebral blood flow velocity was assessed using transcranial Doppler ultrasound.
- Key parameters analyzed included mean velocity (MV), pulsatility index (PI), and flow velocity ratios.
Main Results:
- Children with SCD demonstrated significantly higher mean velocities in the middle cerebral artery (100.9 cm/s) compared to controls (80.6 cm/s).
- Cerebral blood flow velocities in SCD patients correlated positively with hemoglobin levels and age.
- No significant correlation was found between velocities and sex or mean corpuscular volume.
Conclusions:
- Cerebral circulation speeds are elevated in children with sickle cell disease.
- Hemoglobin levels and age are significant influencing factors on cerebral blood flow velocities in pediatric SCD.
- These findings underscore the utility of TCD in monitoring SCD patients for cerebrovascular risk.
Introduction:
Transcranial Doppler is an effective diagnostic tool to detect sickle cell children at risk for stroke.
Methods:
We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study of Malagasy children aged between 24 months and 15 years (group 1: 57 sickle cell diseases, group 2: 43 controls) to assess the cerebral artery velocimetry in the patient population. Transcranial doppler ultrasound with analysis of cerebral blood flow was performed in children of both groups.
Results:
In subjects with sickle cell disease, the mean velocity (MV) in the middle cerebral artery was 100.9 ± 26.8 cm/s, pulsatility index (PI) was 0.73 ± 0.20, the difference between the right and left middle cerebral artery (MCA) was 19.8 ± 21.5 cm/s, anterior cerebral artery/middle cerebral artery flow velocity ratio (ACA / MCA) was 0.7 ± 0.2. In children without sickle cell disease, MV: 80.6 ± 19.3 cm/s, IP: 0.79 ± 0.14, ACMr: 17 ± 20.1 cm/s, ACA/ACM: 0,8 ± 0,2. The velocity in children with sickle cell disease was higher than in the control group. Velocities were correlated with hemoglobin and age but not with sex and mean corpuscular volume.
Conclusion:
Cerebral Circulation Speeds are higher in children with sickle cell disease and are influenced by hemoglobin levels and age.
