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[Cerebral HITS: diagnosis, clinical relevance, outlook]
F Tranquart1, J M De Bray, M Georgescu
1CHU Bretonneau, Angers.
Insights
High-intensity transient signals (HITS) in intracranial vessels may indicate emboli. Detecting these signals in conditions like carotid stenosis is linked to stroke risk, offering new insights into stroke research.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Vascular Medicine
- Medical Signal Processing
Background:
- High-intensity transient signals (HITS) are detected in intracranial Doppler flow spectrum.
- These signals can originate from gaseous or material emboli.
- HITS are observed in various clinical scenarios, including prosthetic heart valves, atrial fibrillation, and carotid artery disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the detection and significance of HITS in intracranial vessels.
- To explore the clinical implications of HITS, particularly in relation to stroke risk.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Doppler ultrasound to detect HITS in intracranial arteries.
- Correlated HITS detection with specific clinical conditions and patient outcomes.
Main Results:
- HITS were identified as high-intensity transient signals in the Doppler flow spectrum.
- Association of HITS with neurological impairment and brain lesions in patients with cardiac prosthetic valves.
- Observation of HITS in carotid stenosis correlated with an elevated risk of stroke.
Conclusions:
- HITS detection provides a novel approach to studying stroke.
- Further research is needed to overcome technical and clinical challenges in HITS detection and interpretation.
Abstract:
After 6 years of experience, Spencer and colleagues described the detection of embolus signals as height intensity transient signals (HITS) within Doppler flow spectrum from intracranial vessels. These signals (gaseous or materials) are recorded in many situations such as cardiac prosthetic valves, atrial fibrillation, carotid stenosis, carotid surgery or angioplasty. The clinical value is not well known: neurological impairment associated with brain lesions is described in case of cardiac prosthetic valves. The observation of HITS in carotid stenosis is associated with an increased risk of stroke. The detection of HITS offers a new orientation in studying stroke but some technical and/or clinical difficulties have to be solved.