Sonothrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Current Status

Abstract

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is an important tool in the armamentarium of stroke neurologists. This, bedsides modality, can help in establishing the presence, location, and severity of intracranial arterial occlusion in acute stroke cases. Various hemodynamic consequences of an acute arterial occlusion such as flow diversion and compensatory flow increase in other intracranial arteries can be monitored by TCD with reasonable accuracy. TCD monitoring during intravenous thrombolysis may demonstrate recanalization in real-time In addition, continuous ultrasound exposure during intravenous thrombolysis can enhance the rates of the recanalization of an acutely occluded intracranial artery. Therapeutic ultrasound or sonothrombolysis remains a widely debated application of TCD. We present the available evidence for sonothrombolysis as well as its current status in the hyperacute treatment of acute ischemic stroke.