Transcranial Doppler for evaluation of idiopathic intracranial hypertension

OBJECTIVES: The value of transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography in assessing patients with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) is uncertain. We sought to determine the contribution of TCD to their evaluation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients with suspected IIH underwent TCD. Mean blood flow (BFV), peak systolic (PSV) and end-diastolic (EDV) velocities, and pulsatility (PI) and resistance (RI) indexes were obtained in the middle cerebral (MCA) and vertebral (VA) arteries and compared (Student's t-test) between patients with confirmed IIH and controls. IIH patients and controls were comparable in terms of age, gender and weight. RESULTS: The mean +/- SD BFV(MCA), PSV(MCA), EDV(MCA) and PI(VA) in the 13 IIH patients were higher than in the ten controls (59 +/- 6.8, 94 +/- 28.5, 43 +/- 12.4, 0.86 +/- 0.16 and 50 +/- 8.6, 72 +/- 25.8, 32 +/- 11.5, 0.58 +/- 0.45 respectively, P < 0.05) but still within normal values. The mean +/- SD PI(MCA), RI(MCA) and RI(VA) values in the IIH patients and controls were similar. CONCLUSIONS: TCD parameters had no useful unique features for monitoring IIH patients.