Usefulness of transcranial Doppler in the prognostic assessment of the neurocritical patient with atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease

Authors

Keywords:

transcranial Doppler; neurocritical care; cerebrovascular disease; atherosclerosis; cerebral autoregulation ; cerebral blood flow

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease is one of the leading causes of admission to neurocritical care units and requires close hemodynamic monitoring to estimate risk, guide therapeutic decisions, and detect early neurological worsening. In this setting, transcranial Doppler provides a functional and dynamic assessment of cerebral blood flow that complements structural neuroimaging.

Objective: To critically analyze the usefulness of transcranial Doppler in the prognostic assessment of the neurocritical patient with atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease.

Methods: A critical narrative literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SciELO, along with complementary high-value clinical literature. Original articles, systematic reviews, consensus documents, and guidelines published over the last decade were prioritized, while classic papers essential for pathophysiological understanding were retained. Peer-reviewed publications related to intracranial stenosis, cerebral autoregulation, microemboli, collateral circulation, intracranial hypertension, and ultrasound-based neuromonitoring were included.

Results: The reviewed evidence shows that transcranial Doppler can identify patterns consistent with intracranial stenosis, impaired cerebral autoregulation, poor collateral circulation, microemboli, and changes suggestive of increased intracranial pressure or reduced cerebral perfusion. Its prognostic value increases when interpreted together with clinical evolution, although accuracy depends on acoustic window quality, operator expertise, and the patient’s physiological context.

Conclusions: Transcranial Doppler is a non-invasive, repeatable, and clinically valuable tool for prognostic assessment in neurocritical patients with atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease. Its main contribution lies in providing complementary functional information that improves clinical interpretation and supports treatment individualization.

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Published

2026-09-26

How to Cite

1.
Zamora Mallet M, González Tórres R, Peña Gutiérrez Y, Mojena Quintana A, Romero Cala A. Usefulness of transcranial Doppler in the prognostic assessment of the neurocritical patient with atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease. GeroInfo [Internet]. 2026 Sep. 26 [cited 2026 Sep. 27];21:e413. Available from: https://revgeroinfo.sld.cu/index.php/gerf/article/view/413

Issue

Vol. 21 (2026): (Publicación Continua)

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Artículo de Revisión

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Copyright (c) 2026 Mercedes Zamora Mallet, Raúl González Tórres, Yisel Peña Gutiérrez, Anaidelis Mojena Quintana, Amanda Romero Cala

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