Accurate and continuous monitoring of cerebral blood flow is valuable for clinical neurocritical care and fundamental neurovascular research. Here we report a conformal ultrasound patch for hands-free volumetric imaging and continuous monitoring of cerebral blood flow.
Ultrafast ultrasound imaging based on diverging waves can accurately render the circle of Willis in 3D and minimize human errors during examinations. Focused ultrasound waves allow the recording of blood flow spectra at selected locations continuously. The high accuracy of the conformal ultrasound patch was confirmed in comparison with a conventional TCD probe on 36 participants, showing promising results.
The 2 MHz ultrasound waves reduce the attenuation and phase aberration caused by the skull, and the copper mesh shielding layer provides conformal contact to the skin while improving the signal-to-noise ratio by 5 dB. The measurement success rate of the conformal ultrasound patch was 70.6%, compared with 75.3% for a conventional TCD probe.
Continuous blood flow spectra during different interventions were demonstrated, and cascades of intracranial B waves during drowsiness were identified within 4 h of recording, showcasing the potential of this technology for real-time monitoring.
#ultrasound-technology #cerebral-blood-flow-monitoring #medical-innovation #neurocritical-care #vascular-research
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