Doppler radar to help stroke victims

The study has discovered that, by modifying techniques used in radar systems, they have the potential to improve early diagnosis and effective monitoring of stroke victims. Research by Joanne Cowe in the University’s Medical Physics group led to the breakthrough which offers huge potential to deliver benefits to patients. Cowe said: “One quarter of strokes are due to emboli (blood clots or other foreign bodies) blocking small blood vessels in the brain. Emboli can originate from a number of sources such as the heart or from plaques in arteries in the head or neck due to vascular disease. “Doppler ultrasound can be used for the detection of emboli in the cerebral circulation and can also be used to monitor the blood flow through vessels to assess if there are any problems such as blockages. Therefore, research into the detection of emboli and vascular disease, using ultrasound, has the potential to reduce stroke death and disability rates, and to generate large financial savings.”