Pediatric Applications of Transcranial Doppler Sonography

The cerebral haemodynamics in healthy and ill children of all ages are studied systematically using transcranial Doppler sonography. After adapting the examination technique to paediatric conditions, reference values for different Doppler parameters are determined. Important physiological factors which influence the value of the Doppler parameter are: age, CO2-partial pressure, vigilance, birth weight, and haematocrit. The Doppler parameters are only affected by arterial blood pressures or heart rates in the pathological range. Clinical applications of transcranial Doppler sonography are: the patent ductus arteriosus, perinatal brain damage, increased intracranial pressure, brain death, stenoses and occlusions of basal cerebral arteries and monitoring of intensive therapy. The results of the Doppler registrations under physiological and pathological conditions are analyzed, and compared with the relevant literature. The book provides not only an introduction to transcranial Doppler sonography, but also the physiological and pathological aspects of cerebral circulation.