Value of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography in the diagnosis and follow-up of carotid-cavernous fistulae

Kilic T., Elmaci I., Bayri Y., Pamir M., Erzen C.

ACTA NEUROCHIRURGICA, vol.143, no.12, pp.1257-1265, 2001 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 143 Issue: 12
  • Publication Date: 2001
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s007010100022
  • Journal Name: ACTA NEUROCHIRURGICA
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.1257-1265
  • Keywords: carotid-cavernous fistulae, hemodynamics, transcranial Doppler ultrasonography, dural arteriovenous fistulae, DURAL ARTERIOVENOUS-MALFORMATIONS, ENDOVASCULAR TREATMENT, SINUS FISTULAS, EMBOLIZATION, SONOGRAPHY, SURGERY, THERAPY, ARTERY
  • Marmara University Affiliated: No

Abstract

The introduction of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) has made it possible to examine blood flow characteristics in carotid-cavernous sinus fistulae (CCSF) in a noninvasive, relatively simple, and reliable way. This study investigated the usefulness of TCD in the diagnosis and follow-up of various CCSF subtypes. We found characteristic TCD findings associated with high-flow CCSF, but perhaps more importantly, found this technique to be an excellent tool also for detecting and following treatment results in low-flow CCSF. The low-flow fistulae exhibit less specific clinical signs and are harder to distinguish using the noninvasive radiological methods of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The impact of our findings on future approaches to the diagnosis and follow-up of these different types of acquired vascular shunts is also discussed.