Transcranial Doppler and Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow Study in Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

Objective : The authors analyze prospectively the result of transcranial doppler[TCD] in normal pressure hydrocephalus and compared its cerebral blood flow parameters to radionuclide cerebrospinal fluid[CSF] flow study, postoperative brain computed tomography[CT] findings and clinical outcome, and studied the relationship betweeen cerebral hemodynamics and clinical performance.<BR> Methods : Twenty five patients with hydrocephalus undertook pre- and post-operative TCD but only preoperative CSF flow study was performed. Mean flow velocity[Vm], pulsatility index[PI] and resistance index[RI] were assessed through TCD and changes in ventricle size and cortical gyral atrophy were checked through brain CT.<BR> Results : Postoperative hydrocephalus showed an increase in Vm[ACA P=0.037, MCA P=0.034], decrease in PI[ACA P=0.019, MCA P=0.017] and decrease in RI [ACA P=0.017, MCA P=0.021] compared to preoperative TCD parameters in the postoperative improvement group. In the postoperative improvement group, postoperative TCD parameters correlated with CSF flow study grade [Vm : R²=-0.75, PI : R²=0.86, RI : R²=0.78] and ventriculocranial ratio change correlated with PI change [R²=0.73]. The convexity gyral atrophy and initial TCD parameters showed close relationship to outcome.<BR> Conclusion : PI and RI can be used as an indicator of post operative prognosis, and with the addition of CSF flow study values, can also be used as a tool to predict pre-op and post-op patient status and successful shunt surgery.