Correlation between Transcranial Ultrasound and CT Head to Detect Clinically Significant Conditions in Post-craniectomy Patients Performed by Emergency Physician: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background The main objective is to detect clinically significant conditions by transcranial ultrasound (TCS) in post-decompressive craniectomy (DC) patients who come to the emergency department. Materials and methods This was a cross-sectional observational study. We studied 40 post-DC patients. After primary stabilization, TCS was done. Computer tomography of head was done within 2 hours of performing TCS. The correlation between both modalities were assessed by the measurement of lateral ventricle (LV) (Bland-Altman plot), Midline shift and mass lesion. Additionally, normal cerebral anatomy, 3rd and 4th ventricles and external ventricular drainage (EVD) catheter visualization were also done. Results About 14/40 patients came with non-neurosurgical complaints and 26/40 patients came with neurosurgical complaints. Patients with non-neurosurgical complaints (4/14) had mass lesions and 1/14 had MLS. Patients with neurosurgical complaints (11/26) had mass lesions and about 5 patients had MLS. A good correlation was found between TCS and CT of head in measuring LV right (CT head = 17.4 ± 13.8 mm and TCS = 17.1 ± 14.8 mm. The mean difference (95% CI) = [0.28 (–1.9 to 1.33), ICC 0.93 (0.88–0.96)], Left [CT head = 17.8 ± 14.4 mm and TCS = 17.1 ± 14.2 mm, the mean difference (95% CI) 0.63 (–1.8 to 0.61), ICC 0.96 (0.93–0.98)], MLS [CT head = 6.16 ± 3.59 ( n = 7) and TCS = 7.883 ± 4.17 ( n = 6)] and mass lesions (kappa 0.84 [0.72–0.89] [95% CI] p -value < 0.001). The agreement between both modalities for detecting mass lesions is 93.75%. Conclusion Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) is a bedside, easily operable, non-radiation hazard and dynamic imaging tool that can be used for TCS as a supplement to CT head in post-DC patients in emergency as well as in ICU. However, assessment of the ventricular system (pre/post-EVD insertion), monitoring of regression/progression of mass lesion, etc. can be done with TCS. Repeated scans are possible in less time which can decrease the frequency of CT head. How to cite this article Chouhan R, Sinha TP, Bhoi S, Kumar A, Agrawal D, Nayer J, et al . Correlation between Transcranial Ultrasound and CT Head to Detect Clinically Significant Conditions in Post-craniectomy Patients Performed by Emergency Physician: A Pilot Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(3):299–306.