Determination of blood flow velocities in cerebral arteries of the rat using triplex mode Doppler ultrasonographic examination

Objective: In many cerebrovascular research areas, such as stroke, infarction or subarachnoid hemorrhage, the rat animal model helps in understanding of the disease and in developing new therapeutic strategies. The current standard techniques for assessment of blood flow, such as angiography, MRI or Laser Doppler flowmetry, do not provide a continued online monitoring with direct detection of blood flow velocities in the major cerebral arteries. We describe an extended craniectomy which enables ultrasonographic doppler examination of the brain. Methods: The animals are narcotized intraperitoneally and immobilize…