Normative ranges of transcranial doppler metrics

Abstract

Objective: To determine normal ranges for traditional transcranial Doppler (TCD) measurements for two age groups (14–19 and 20–29 years) and compare to existing literature results. The development of a normal range for TCD measurements will be required for the development of diagnostic and prognostic tests in the future. Materials and Methods: We performed TCD on the middle cerebral artery on 147 healthy subjects aged 18.9 years (SD = 2.1) and calculated mean cerebral blood flow velocity (mCBFV) and pulsatility index (PI). The study population was divided into two age populations (14–19 and 20–29 years). Results: There was a significant decrease in PI (p = 0.015) for the older age group with no difference in mCBFV. Conclusion: Age-related, normal data are a prerequisite for TCD to continue to gain clinical acceptance. Our correlation of age-related TCD findings with previously published results as the generally accepted “gold standard” underlines the validity and sensitivity of this ultrasound method.