Transcranial Doppler ultrasound in the diagnosis of brain death. Is it useful or does it delay the diagnosis

Abstract Transcranial Doppler ultrasound is able to demonstrate cerebral circulatory arrest associated to brain death, being especially useful in sedated patients, or in those in which complete neurological exploration is not possible. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound is a portable, noninvasive and high-availability technique. Among its limitations, mention must be made of the absence of acoustic windows and false-negative cases. In patients clinically diagnosed with brain death, with open skulls or with anoxia as the cause of death, cerebral blood flow can be observed by ultrasound, since cerebral circulatory arrest is not always synchronized to the clinical diagnosis. The diagnostic rate is therefore time-dependent, and this fact must be recognized in order to avoid delays in death certification. Despite its limitations, transcranial Doppler ultrasound helps solve common diagnostic problems, avoids the unnecessary consumption of resources, and can optimize organ harvesting for transplantation.