Purpose: The authors evaluated the role of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (US) in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and cerebrovascular disease.
Materials and methods: Twenty-one patients with SCD and stroke (aged 3-22 years; mean age at stroke, 9 years) were evaluated with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and duplex transcranial Doppler US with a 2-MHz transducer. Nineteen patients also underwent MR angiography. Forty-six asymptomatic patients with SCD were also evaluated with Doppler US, MR imaging, and MR angiography.
Results: The following transcranial Doppler US findings were correlated with cerebrovascular disease in patients with SCD: (a) maximum velocity in the ophthalmic artery (OA) of more than 35 cm/sec; (b) mean velocity in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) of more than 170 cm/sec; (c) resistive index in the OA of less than 50; (d) velocity in the OA greater than that of the ipsilateral MCA; and (e) maximum velocity in the posterior cerebral, vertebral, or basilar arteries greater than the maximum velocity in the MCA.
Conclusion: Transcranial Doppler US scanning has great potential as an inexpensive, easily performed screening procedure for cerebrovascular disease in patients with SCD.