Short-term Prognosis of Stroke Due to Occlusion of Internal Carotid Artery Based on Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography

Background and Purpose: The clinical course of stroke due to occlusion of the internal carotid artery is influenced by amount of collateral flow. We measured mean frequency shifts in the middle cerebral artery by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography to determine its prognostic value. Methods: Patients with proven extracranial occlusion of the internal carotid artery and ipsilateral hemispheral stroke were enrolled in our study. We performed transcranial Doppler ultrasonography on 31 patients within 48 hours after the stroke onset and followed up 25 patients in 28 days. At the same time, neurological examination with quantification of neurological deficit was done. We correlated values of flow frequency shifts on the side of stroke with degree of neurological deficit at the onset and at 28 days as well as the degree of clinical improvement and the value of frequency shifts. Results: We found a negative correlation between blood flow frequency shifts in the middle cerebral artery and degree of neurological deficit at the onset (Spearman rank correlation coefficient, -0.567; p< 0.001). We also found a positive correlation between the change of the neurological deficit during follow-up and frequency shifts at the onset (Spearman rank coefficient, 0.548; p<0.05). Conclusions: Diminished blood flow velocity (mean frequency shift) in the area of stroke is a negative prognostic factor for the degree of neurological deficit at the onset and a negative prognostic factor for possible improvement. Knowledge of hemodynamic conditions in the stroke area may help to improve therapeutic decisions. (Stroke 1992;23:1069-1072 KEY WORDS • carotid artery diseases • prognosis • ultrasonic

Grading carotid stenosis using ultrasonic methods

The controversy as to whether Doppler ultrasonic methods should play a role in clinical decision-making in the prevention of stroke is attributable to reported disagreement between angiographic and ultrasonic results and the lack of internationally accepted ultrasound criteria for describing the degree of stenosis. Foremost among the explanations for both is the broad scatter of peak systolic velocities in the stenosis, the criterion that has so far received most attention. Grading based on a set of main and additional criteria can overcome diagnostic errors. Morphological measurements (B-mode images and color flow imaging) are the main criteria for low and moderate degrees of stenosis. Increased velocities in the stenosis indicate narrowing, but the appearance of collateral flow and decreased poststenotic flow velocity prove a high degree stenosis (≥70%), additionally allowing the estimation of the hemodynamic effect in the category of high-degree stenosis. Additional criteria refer to the effect of a stenosis on prestenotic flow (common carotid artery), the extent of poststenotic flow disturbances, and derived velocity criteria (diastolic peak velocity and the carotid ratio). This multiparametric approach is intended to increase the reliability and the standard of reporting of ultrasonic results for arteriosclerotic disease of the carotid artery