TCD Vocab

Anterior Cerebral Artery (ACA)

smaller of the two terminal branches of the internal carotid artery

Anterior Communicating Artery (AcoA)

a short vessel that connects the anterior cerebral arteries at the interhemispheric fissure

Basilar Artery (BA)

formed by the union of the tow vertebral arteries

Cerebral Vasospasm

vasoconstriction of the arteries

Circle of Willis

a polygon vascular ring at the base of the brain

Hyperostosis

abnormal thickening/growth of bone tissue

Internal Carotid Artery (ICA)

arises from the common carotid artery to supply the anterior brain and meninges

Mean Velocity

based on the time average of the outline velocity

Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA)

large terminal branch of the ICA

Ophthalmic Artery

first branch of the ICA

Posterior Cerebral Artery (PCA)

originates from the terminal basilar artery and courses anteriorly and laterally

Posterior Communicating Artery (PcoA)

courses posteriorly and medially from the ICA to join the posterior cerebral artery

Subclavian Steal Syndrome

characterized by symptoms of brain stem ischemia associated with a stenosis or occlusion of the left subclavian, innominate, or right subclavian artery proximal to the origin of the vertebral artery

Submandibular Window

transducer is placed at the angle of the mandible and angled slightly medially and cephalad toward the carotid canal

Suboccipital Window

transducer is placed on the posterior aspect of the neck inferior to the nuchal crest

Transorbital Window

transducer is placed on the closed eyelid

Transtemporal Window

transducer is placed on the temporal bone cephalad to the zygomatic arch anterior to the ear

Vertebral Artery

branch of the subclavian artery