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Functional Ultrasound Imaging of Auditory Responses in Comatose Patients
Zihao Chen1,2, Na Li1,2, Caihua Xi3
1Guangdong Institute of Intelligence Science and Technology, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519031, P. R. China.
Research (Washington, D.C.)
|May 16, 2025
Summary
Functional ultrasound (fUS) imaging can monitor brain function in comatose patients, showing task-related blood flow changes. These changes correlate with neurological recovery, offering a portable bedside tool for brain injury assessment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Assessing brain function in severely brain-injured patients at the bedside is clinically challenging.
- Existing methods may lack portability or real-time capabilities for continuous monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the translational potential of functional ultrasound (fUS) imaging for bedside brain function assessment.
- To determine if fUS can detect task-related brain activity in comatose patients.
- To explore the correlation between fUS findings and neurological recovery.
Main Methods:
- Real-time fUS imaging was performed on 6 comatose patients (Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 8) with cranial windows.
- A 7.8-MHz transducer was used for auditory stimulation and monitoring regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF).
- Statistical analysis (t-test, P < 0.001) was applied to task-related rCBF changes.
Main Results:
- Task-related increases in rCBF were observed in relevant brain regions during auditory stimulation.
- These fUS-detected brain activity patterns significantly correlated with neurological recovery at 9-month follow-up.
- fUS demonstrated sensitivity in detecting functional brain changes in this patient cohort.
Conclusions:
- Functional ultrasound imaging is a sensitive, portable tool for bedside brain function assessment in severely brain-injured patients.
- fUS has the potential to improve prognostication and guide treatment and rehabilitation strategies.
- This study establishes fUS as a viable technology for critical care neurology.
