Goh D, Minns R A, Hendry G M, Thambyayah M, Steers A J
Department of Paediatric Neurology, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, UK.
Pediatr Radiol. 1992;22(4):246-50. doi: 10.1007/BF02019849.
Duplex Doppler sonography and direct intracranial pressure (ICP) measurement were performed on 18 patients with infantile hydrocephalus. ICP was measured through a frontal reservoir or ventricular tap using a nondisplacement pressure transducer. The Pourcelot Resistive Index, RI = (peak systolic-end diastolic)/peak systolic velocity was obtained from pulsed-wave Doppler measurements of blood flow velocity in the anterior (ACA) and/or the middle cerebral (MCA) arteries. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between ICP and RIs in the MCA and ACA. Paired RI measurements in 7 patients with raised ICP decreased significantly from a mean of 0.90 pre-tap to 0.75 post-tap. Our results suggest that the RI provides a reliable measure of cerebrovascular resistance in hydrocephalus. Duplex Doppler ultrasonography thus is a useful noninvasive means of monitoring cerebrohaemodynamic change with simultaneous imaging of ventricular size in infantile hydrocephalus.
