Background And Purpose: Transcranial ultrasonography (TCU) can be a useful diagnostic tool in evaluating intracranial pathology in patients with limited or delayed access to routine neuroimaging in critical care or austere settings. We reviewed available literature investigating the diagnostic utility of TCU for detecting pediatric and adult patient's intracranial pathology in patients with intact skulls and reported diagnostic accuracy measures.
Methods: We performed a systematic review of PubMed , Cochrane Library, Embase , Scopus , Web of Science™, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases to identify articles evaluating ultrasound-based detection of intracranial pathology in comparison to routine imaging using broad Medical Subject Heading sets.
Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) experience the majority of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), yet few studies have examined the epidemiology and management strategies of TBI in LMICs. The objective of this narrative review is to discuss the epidemiology of TBI within LMICs, describe the adherence to Brain Trauma Foundation (BTF) guidelines for the management of severe TBI in LMICs, and document TBI management strategies currently used in LMICs. Articles from January 1, 2009 to September 30, 2021 that included patients with TBI greater than 18 years of age in low-, low middle-, and high middle-income countries were queried in PubMed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Purpose: Many studies have explored the possibility of using cranial ultrasound for discerning intracranial pathologies like tumors, hemorrhagic stroke, or subdural hemorrhage in clinical scenarios where computer tomography may not be accessible or feasible. The visualization of intracranial anatomy on B-mode ultrasound is challenging due to the presence of the skull that limits insonation to a few segments on the temporal bone that are thin enough to allow transcranial transmission of sound. Several artifacts are produced by hyperechoic signals inherent in brain and skull anatomy when images are created using temporal windows.
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