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. 1990 Feb;40(2):300-3.
doi: 10.1212/wnl.40.2.300.

The role of transcranial Doppler in confirming brain death: sensitivity, specificity, and suggestions for performance and interpretation

G W Petty  1 , J P Mohr, T A Pedley, T K Tatemichi, L Lennihan, D I Duterte, R L Sacco
Affiliations

The role of transcranial Doppler in confirming brain death: sensitivity, specificity, and suggestions for performance and interpretation

G W Petty et al. Neurology. 1990 Feb.

Abstract

We performed transcranial Doppler (TCD) examinations on 54 comatose patients over a 1-year period. Of 49 patients with technically adequate TCD examinations, 23 met criteria for determination of brain death by clinical and EEG criteria (21) or clinical criteria alone (2; EEG not performed). A TCD waveform abnormality, consisting of absent or reversed diastolic flow, or small early systolic spikes, in at least 2 intracranial arteries, occurred in 21 brain-dead patients, but in none of the other patients in coma. With appropriate guidelines for performance and interpretation, TCD could be incorporated into institutional protocols as a rapid and convenient alternative to EEG for confirmation of brain death.

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Comment in

  • Transcranial Doppler in brain death.
    Wallasch TM, Reinecke M. Wallasch TM, et al. Neurology. 1990 Sep;40(9):1476. doi: 10.1212/wnl.40.9.1476. Neurology. 1990. PMID: 2202928 No abstract available.

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