Continuous wave Doppler ultrasound in evaluation of cerebral blood flow in neonates

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood Vol. 58; no. 9; pp. 677 - 681
• Main Authors: Gray, P H, Griffin, E A, Drumm, J E, Fitzgerald, D E, Duignan, N M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 01.09.1983; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Blood Flow Velocity; Carotid Arteries - physiology; Cerebral Arteries - physiology; Cerebral circulation. Blood-brain barrier. Choroid plexus. Cerebrospinal fluid. Circumventricular organ. Meninges; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Pulse; Ultrasonography; Vascular Resistance; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Doppler ultrasound study; Human; Ultrasonic investigation; Central nervous system; Brain (Vertebrata); Circulatory system; Hemodynamics; Method; New born; Blood flow
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/adc.58.9.677

The cerebral circulation of 25 normal term infants was investigated using continuous wave Doppler ultrasound. Serial blood flow velocity signals were obtained from the common carotid and anterior cerebral arteries during the first week of life. The records were processed using a frequency spectrum analyser to provide cerebral blood velocity waveforms. The pulsatility index (PI), A/B ratio, and rise and fall slope of the waveforms were calculated. The results indicated that cerebrovascular resistance was raised appreciably on day 1 of life compared with later in the first week. In 18 of 25 infants (72%) there was no continuous carotid blood flow in the first hours of life. We suggest that the human cerebral circulation adapts to the process of birth in a similar fashion to that of animal models.