TDC Imaging and Atoxic Contrast and Cerebrovascular Lesions in SCD Adults Patients

• Published in: Blood Vol. 114; no. 22; p. 4612
• Main Authors: Leite, Ana Claudia C, Veloso, Orlando CG, Lobo, Clarisse Lopes de Castro, Oliveira, Raquel VC, Bahia, Paulo RV
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 20.11.2009
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood.V114.22.4612.4612

Abstract 4612 Silent infarcts have been reported in approximately 20% of children with SCD. The prevalence in SCD adult patients has not been studied previously. We studied 187 patients (mean age 29 years) Each of these patients underwent a neurological examination, duplex scan of carotids and TCD image with atoxic contrast (micro bubbles). Eighty of these patients were sorted to perform MRI and MRA to study lacunar infarction, encephalomalacia, leukoencephalopathy, Moya Moya syndrome and aneurysm (measured by number and size). The overall prevalence of silent infarcts was 52%. Comparing the two methods regarding sensitivity and specificity, obtained respectively 88 and 85%. The positive predictive value of the TCD image with contrast was 80%. There was only one case of intracranial aneurysm, observed by both imaging methods. The other asymptomatic patients with abnormal TCD (low definition of image contrast or absence of flow to TCD image) presented diagnostic criteria of vascular occlusion with secondary collateral (Moya Moya Syndrome). Use of atoxic contrast (micro bubbles) increases the sensitivity of TCD image for diagnosis of intracranial lesions in SCD adults patients, even in asymptomatic individuals, enabling the diagnosis of silent infarcts. No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.