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Review
. 2025 Sep 24.
doi: 10.1002/jum.70077. Online ahead of print.

Reviews in Medical Education: A Step-by-Step Framework for Learning Transcranial Doppler Interpretation

Ammar Jumah  1 , Fadi Nahab  1 , Aaron Anderson  1 , Erika Sigman  1
Affiliations
Review

Reviews in Medical Education: A Step-by-Step Framework for Learning Transcranial Doppler Interpretation

Ammar Jumah et al. J Ultrasound Med. .

Abstract

In cerebrovascular pathologies, the transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography is a tool heavily relied on for neuromonitoring and diagnostic purposes. Interpreting TCD studies requires an in-depth understanding of the basic principles of ultrasound physics, flow hemodynamics, and the integration of TCD-related metrics. Despite the significant role TCD can play in monitoring and diagnosing cerebrovascular pathologies, many neurology trainees and other healthcare professionals receive limited instruction on interpreting TCD studies, and a few practical guides exist to support their learning. This review equips educators and learners with a structured, step-by-step approach to teaching and learning TCD interpretation, focusing on fundamental concepts and common vascular patterns that can help clinicians grasp the basics of this tool. By leveraging a clinically oriented framework, this article can support educators in neurology training programs and help bridge the educational gap in TCD interpretation.

Keywords: mean flow velocity; medical education; pulsatility index; transcranial Doppler ultrasonography.

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