Can transcranial Doppler ultrasound detect cerebral blood supply problems?

Mar 17, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Lv Zhiqin
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, transcranial Doppler ultrasound can assist in the examination of cerebral hypoperfusion to some extent, but it cannot directly confirm a diagnosis. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound is a method that uses ultrasound technology to examine intracranial blood vessels through the skull. Utilizing the Doppler frequency shift effect, it is a non-invasive technique for studying blood flow in the main arteries at the base of the brain.

  Under normal circumstances, transcranial Doppler ultrasound can assist in examining cerebral hypoperfusion to some extent, but it cannot directly confirm a diagnosis. Detailed analysis is as follows:

  Transcranial Doppler ultrasound is a method that uses ultrasound technology to examine intracranial blood vessels through the skull. Utilizing the Doppler frequency shift effect, it is a non-invasive technique for studying blood flow in the main cerebral arteries at the base of the brain. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound can display the velocity and direction of blood flow in large intracranial vessels, helping physicians assess the functional status of cerebral blood vessels.

  In cases of insufficient cerebral blood supply, patients may experience symptoms of reduced regional cerebral blood flow, such as dizziness, headache, and memory loss. At this time, using transcranial Doppler ultrasound, physicians can observe whether the blood flow velocity in the intracranial vessels has decreased, thereby indirectly determining whether cerebral hypoperfusion exists.

  Although transcranial Doppler ultrasound can display the velocity and direction of blood flow in large intracranial vessels, it cannot directly show the cerebral tissue blood flow. Therefore, when diagnosing cerebral hypoperfusion, other imaging examinations such as magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and computed tomography angiography (CTA) should also be used to obtain more comprehensive information.

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