脳ドッグにおける超音波検査

抄録

In the past few years, the term“Noh Dok”has become popular in Japan. This is a cerebral screening system based on MR angiography (MRA), which can obtain angiographic images noninvasively. Since the advent of MRA, the position of Doppler ultrasonography as the representative noninvasive diagnostic method has been under challenge. However, ultrasonography has several advantages over MRA, such as real-time imaging, bedside diagnosis, simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and freedom from the dangers of magnetic materials. These advances are in favor of its use for health screening. Recent advances in ultrasonography, such as transcranial Doppler, color Doppler-assisted duplex imaging, distal beams, broad-band-width scanning, color capture, and ultrasonic contrast medium, have enabled the development of new methods of clinical diagnosis. This article reviews the diagnostic potential of these new ultrasonic tools and discusses the role of ultrasonography in screening of the brain. In order to maintain its position as a health screening tool, ultrasonography must not be used as the sole fool for diagnosis.