Ultrasound of cerebral vessels is an absolutely painless technique that helps to identify possible pathological processes. It has been scientifically proven that ultrasonic waves do not have a negative effect on organs and tissues, therefore such manipulation can be carried out not only for diagnosis in adults, but also in children. The number of procedures and frequency of examinations are not limited - ultrasound can be performed as often as necessary. Brain examination using ultrasound is carried out both according to the doctor’s indications and at the request of the patient. Let's look at how an ultrasound is performed and how to properly prepare for it.
In what cases is ultrasound of the brain prescribed?
Of course, you can undergo the examination without any complaints. But there are a number of symptoms that indicate that the procedure should not be postponed.
Be sure to consult your doctor if any of the following concerns you:
- Constant feeling of drowsiness and weakness;
- Dizziness, darkening of the eyes with a sharp rise;
- Noise in ears;
- Regular headaches or headaches that occur in the morning;
- Flashing “flies” before the eyes;
- Difficulty in perceiving information (reading or listening);
- Problems paying attention or remembering;
- Blood pressure surges;
- Episodes of incoordination;
- Apathy or low mood;
- Unreasonable nausea and vomiting;
- Deterioration of vision or hearing.
For preventive purposes, ultrasound is also indicated for those people who have high cholesterol or blood sugar levels, as well as people suffering from obesity, the elderly and those who have previously suffered a heart attack or stroke.
Sometimes ultrasound of cerebral vessels is prescribed before an upcoming operation, for example, if tumors in the head area are to be removed.
Price for ultrasound examination of the veins of the lower extremities
Doppler ultrasound is a primary diagnostic method and is prescribed either for prevention or to study an existing diagnosis. Hence the low price of ultrasound examination of leg veins in Moscow with excellent information content of the examination. Affordable cost, safety and painlessness, absence of contraindications at any age, accuracy - all this makes Doppler ultrasound a popular procedure.
Comprehensive examination of deep and superficial veins with an accurate diagnosis of the disease
2000 rub.
Expert consultation with a phlebologist
1500 rub.
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Find out the price of ultrasound examination of the arteries and veins of the lower extremities at the First Phlebological Center, as well as make an appointment with a doctor conveniently online. Fill out the short form on our website, and a Center specialist will contact you shortly.
Types of ultrasound of cerebral vessels
Various techniques can be used to study cerebral vessels:
Doppler ultrasound
- used to assess blood flow in vessels, allowing to identify its nature and speed.
Duplex ultrasound.
This technique is a variation of the technique described above. Duplex examination allows you to visualize blood vessels, assess their condition, identify blood clots, plaques, aneurysms and other pathological processes. During this technique, the direction and speed of blood flow are also determined.
Triplex ultrasound.
With its help, an image of the arteries is obtained, colored in different shades, depending on the direction and speed of blood movement. The ophthalmologist can also set other parameters for staining - this opportunity is provided by a computer program. Ultrasound of cerebral vessels using triplex scanning allows you to obtain maximum information about the state of the circulatory system.
Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Which diagnostic technology will be chosen is determined by the specialist, depending on what parameters are important to him for diagnosis.
What is the difference between duplex and triplex scanning?
These diagnostic methods are very similar to each other and have practically no differences, with the only difference being that with triplex scanning the vessels can be viewed in three-dimensional space. Duplex mode presents information in only two planes. In fact, triplex scanning is positioned as an additional procedure when conducting a duplex study.
And if we take into account the fact that the crystal transmitting and receiving the signal is the same, then the resolution of the triplex method is considered slightly worse than the duplex one. The quality of the work will depend entirely on the quality of the apparatus and the qualifications of the doctor conducting the research, and not on the diagnostic method.
Possible contraindications
There are no contraindications to ultrasound examination of cerebral vessels. The exception is severe damage to the skin in the area being examined. In this case, the procedure can be postponed until complete healing.
Another nuance may be an allergic reaction to silicone, which is part of the contact gel. If you have already had cases of allergic reactions to silicone, be sure to notify the doctor who ordered the test and the doctor who will conduct it. A specialist may recommend taking antihistamines to reduce allergies, or purchasing another gel without silicone.
General characteristics of the examination
To explain what kind of examination this is – Doppler ultrasound – and how it is done, you need to start by deciphering the abbreviation: Doppler ultrasound (you can also hear the name “duplex scanning”). In more detail, Doppler ultrasound is a combined study that combines standard ultrasound and the Doppler effect. Ultrasound allows you to visualize a patient’s specific organ on the screen, determine its size, structure, assess its integrity, and so on. Doppler allows you to assess the condition of the vessels of the examined organs, as well as the quality of blood flow in them.
An ultrasound examination, as practice shows, is informative for both assessing venous and arterial circulation. This procedure is safe, painless, non-invasive.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantage of the diagnostic procedure is its high information content and 100% safety. Since the manipulation does not imply invasiveness, it has no contraindications. The study has other benefits:
- It doesn't hurt at all;
- Ultrasound does not cause discomfort;
- The ability to study both the physical state of blood vessels and their functionality.
One of the disadvantages is the low accessibility of blood vessels in certain areas of the brain for diagnostics using ultrasound.
Indications for Dopplerography of head vessels:
- chronic and acute cerebral circulatory disorders or suspicion of them;
- the patient belongs to groups at increased risk of atherosclerosis and other pathological vascular conditions;
- absence of pulse and blood pressure in the arteries of the arms against the background of intense deterioration of visual acuity;
- abnormal changes in the cervical spine due to diseases or congenital anomalies, which can lead to compression of the vertebral artery;
- suffered traumatic brain injuries, as a result of which the vessels were damaged;
- vascular damage due to toxic effects or surgery.
Preparing for the study
If you want to get the most accurate results, you need to properly prepare for the upcoming test. Let's consider the most important stages of preparation:
- Since we are talking about checking blood vessels, it is important three days before the upcoming procedure to give up alcohol, energy drinks and additives that can affect the functionality of blood vessels and the speed of blood flow;
- Try to completely relax and breathe freely at the time of diagnosis;
- Do not engage in sports or physical activity for at least 2 hours before the ultrasound.
- If you are constantly taking any medications, be sure to discuss this with your doctor. If it turns out that the pills affect blood pressure and blood vessels, the doctor may stop them for a day, or postpone taking the drug to a later time;
- 3 hours before ultrasound diagnostics you need to refrain from smoking;
- Before the procedure, long hair must be collected so that nothing interferes with the examination process.
If the examination is being carried out on a child, you should prepare him mentally. Explain to your child that this procedure is completely painless and does not cause discomfort, persuade him to lie still - movements during the diagnostic process can distort the results of the study.
Doppler ultrasound or Doppler ultrasound
Non-invasive, safe and painless method for diagnosing blood flow. The procedure makes it possible to assess the speed and direction of movement, blood pressure in the vessels, and detect areas of narrowing or dilation of veins. Dopplerography is suitable for examining both superficial vessels and deep veins (iliac, inferior vena cava, femoral, popliteal, etc.).
Doppler ultrasound is based on the analysis of changes in the frequency of waves reflected from blood particles during movement. At the First Phlebological Center in Moscow, ultrasound examination of the veins of the lower extremities is carried out, as a rule, in combination with ultrasound (duplex sonography). This approach allows you to obtain complete information about the blood flow and condition of the veins within one procedure.
How to do an ultrasound of the brain
The person lies down on the couch, his head resting on a low pillow. The desired area of the skin is lubricated with silicone gel. In order to determine the nature and speed of blood flow, several sensors are attached to the temples.
If it is necessary to study the condition of the veins and arteries of the brain, the specialist suggests conducting Doppler sonography, during which changes in the displayed sound waves from moving blood cells are recorded. To carry out the procedure, the sensor can be localized in the forehead, back of the head or temples.
In total, the manipulation lasts no more than 40 minutes. Next, the patient receives the test results in hand and goes to the attending physician to decipher the results.
Features of ultrasound examination of head vessels
Before starting diagnostic procedures, the diagnostician will ask the patient to remove any jewelry from the neck and take a supine position on the medical couch. Medical gel is applied to the areas of the skin located above the passage of the diagnosed vessels, which will ensure a tight fit of the ultrasound scanner sensor.
By moving it over the area under study and positioning it at different angles, the doctor receives an image on the screen that allows him to obtain the necessary information.
If necessary, functional tests can be performed, during which the diagnostician asks the patient, for example, to hold his breath.
Decoding the results
A neurologist interprets the results of an ultrasound examination of cerebral vessels. In order to establish an accurate diagnosis, the specialist takes into account the characteristics of the cerebral vessels and the patient’s medical history, because some changes may be an anatomical feature unrelated to pathology.
If everything is normal, the results should look like this:
- the lumen of the vessels is completely free, various neoplasms are absent;
- turbulent blood flow is not present in the branching of vessels;
- the thickness of the vascular wall is less than 0.9 mm (sometimes 0.9-1.1 mm is also a normal option);
- absence of foreign inclusions, cysts and various neoplasms.
Please note that a diagnosis cannot be made based on ultrasound alone. The disease is determined by a combination of pathological factors, which are indicated by various studies.
What can she show?
Duplex scanning allows you to determine areas of narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels, the direction of blood flow, its speed, as well as the condition of the vascular walls. This study can show the location of cholesterol plaques and the presence of blood clots, which is very important when diagnosing atherosclerosis.
A decrease in the elasticity of the walls of the arteries, as well as their thickening, indicate that the patient has hypertension (high blood pressure). If a change in blood flow is diagnosed, this indicates the presence of obstacles. For example, an aneurysm is a sac-like protrusion of a vessel.
