Transcranial Sonography and Cerebral Circulatory Arrest in Adults: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

The diagnosis of brain death remains a clinical challenge for intensive care unit physicians. Worldwide regulations in its diagnosis may differ, and the need of ancillary tests after a clinical examination is not uniform. Transcranial sonography is a noninvasive, bedside, and widely available technique that can be used in the diagnosis of the cerebral circulatory arrest that preceeds brain death. In this paper we review the general concepts, the technical requisites, the patterns of Doppler signal confirming cerebral circulatory arrest, the vessels to insonate, and the options in cases with poor acoustic window. Future research perspectives in the field of transcranial sonography are discussed as well.