Brain Point-of-Care Ultrasound
Practical Guide and Protocols
- 1st Edition - April 1, 2026
- Latest edition
- Editors: Camilo N. Rodríguez, Chiara Robba, Gisele Sampaio Silva, Aarti Sarwal, Eva Bartels, Danilo Cardim, Branko Malojcic
- Language: English
Brain Point-of-Care Ultrasound: Practical Guide and Protocols serves as an essential bedside manual for neurologists, neurosurgeons, and emergency physicians working with critic… Read more
Brain Point-of-Care Ultrasound: Practical Guide and Protocols serves as an essential bedside manual for neurologists, neurosurgeons, and emergency physicians working with critically ill patients. This handbook provides a thorough, protocol-driven approach to real-time brain hemodynamics and parenchyma evaluation, allowing for customized clinical decisions at the point-of-care. The book guides practitioners through ultrasound setup, detailed anatomical understanding, and advanced diagnostic parameters, aiming to seamlessly incorporate brain ultrasound into routine Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) practices. Its structured format ensures clinicians have a dependable reference for comprehensive patient assessment in demanding clinical environments.
Beyond foundational principles, the book delves into specialized topics such as Doppler spectral wave analysis, nuances of angle correction, cerebral autoregulation, and non-invasive pressure assessments. Each chapter offers practical insights for integrating brain ultrasound across different medical disciplines, narrowing the gap between traditional pathology and modern critical care. By positioning brain ultrasound as a vital diagnostic tool, the guide empowers practitioners to make precise, targeted decisions and elevates the standard of neurological patient care.
Beyond foundational principles, the book delves into specialized topics such as Doppler spectral wave analysis, nuances of angle correction, cerebral autoregulation, and non-invasive pressure assessments. Each chapter offers practical insights for integrating brain ultrasound across different medical disciplines, narrowing the gap between traditional pathology and modern critical care. By positioning brain ultrasound as a vital diagnostic tool, the guide empowers practitioners to make precise, targeted decisions and elevates the standard of neurological patient care.
- Explores essential topics, ranging from ultrasound configuration, anatomical basis, and advanced parameters
- Provides a thorough understanding of brain hemodynamics and parenchyma examination
- Bridges the gap between specialties, with insights on integrating brain ultrasound into multi-organ assessments
Neurologists and Neurology Residents; Neurosurgeons and Neurosurgery Residents; Intensive Care Medicine physicians and Intensive Care Medicine Residents; Emergency Medicine physicians and Emergency Medicine Residents
Section 1: Introduction
1. Brain-POCUS: A concept and Approach
Section 2: Ultrasound Configuration and Anatomical Basis
2. Brain-POCUS: Physical principles and equipment preparation
3. Brain-POCUS: Applied cerebrovascular Anatomy
Section 3: Basic and advanced parameters
4. Brain-POCUS: Clinical interpretation of Doppler spectral wave
5. Brain-POCUS: Angle of Insonation
6. Brain-POCUS: Clinical Application of cerebral Autoregulation (CA)
7. Brain-POCUS: Non-invasive estimation of ICP and CPP
8. Brain-POCUS: Cerebral venous system drainage
9. Brain-POCUS: Brain Parenchyma
10. Brain-POCUS: Arterial TCCS (TCCSA) insonation Protocol
11. Brain-POCUS: Venous TCCS (TCCSV) insonation Protocol
12. Brain-POCUS: Transorbital Sonography Protocol
Section 4: Insonation Protocols and Clinical Interpretation
13. Brain-POCUS: Brain integration into multi-organ POCUS
14. Brain POCUS: Role of Cardiac ultrasound
15. Brain-POCUS: Carotid Ultrasound Protocol
16. Brain-POCUS: Vertebral Ultrasound Protocol
17. Brain-POCUS: Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH)
18. Brain-POCUS: Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH)
19. Brain-POCUS: Traumatic Brain injury
20. Brain-POCUS: Acute Ischemic Stroke
21. Brain-POCUS: Intracranial Collateral Circulation Insonation Protocol
22. Brain-POCUS: Central Nervous System (CNS) infections
23. Brain-POCUS: NCSE Insonation Protocol
24. Brain-POCUS: Insonation Protocol in Mechanical Ventilation (MV)
25. Brain-POCUS: Septic-associated Encephalopathy (SAE)
26. Brain POCUS : ECMO and ECCO2R
27. Brain-POCUS: CCaRE-US Insonation Protocol during CPR
28. Brain-POCUS: Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT)
29. Brain-POCUS: Brain Death Insonation Protocol
30. Brain-POCUS: Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM)
Section 5: Application in Special clinical situations
31. Brain-POCUS: Brain Shock
32. Brain-POCUS: Cerebral Hyperperfusion Syndrome
33. Brain-POCUS: Vascular Procedures
34. Brain-POCUS: COVID-19
35. Brain-POCUS: Coma
36. Brain-POCUS: Critical pregnancy patient
37. Brain-POCUS: Acute Liver Failure
38. Brain-POCUS: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
39. Brain-POCUS: Brain tumors
1. Brain-POCUS: A concept and Approach
Section 2: Ultrasound Configuration and Anatomical Basis
2. Brain-POCUS: Physical principles and equipment preparation
3. Brain-POCUS: Applied cerebrovascular Anatomy
Section 3: Basic and advanced parameters
4. Brain-POCUS: Clinical interpretation of Doppler spectral wave
5. Brain-POCUS: Angle of Insonation
6. Brain-POCUS: Clinical Application of cerebral Autoregulation (CA)
7. Brain-POCUS: Non-invasive estimation of ICP and CPP
8. Brain-POCUS: Cerebral venous system drainage
9. Brain-POCUS: Brain Parenchyma
10. Brain-POCUS: Arterial TCCS (TCCSA) insonation Protocol
11. Brain-POCUS: Venous TCCS (TCCSV) insonation Protocol
12. Brain-POCUS: Transorbital Sonography Protocol
Section 4: Insonation Protocols and Clinical Interpretation
13. Brain-POCUS: Brain integration into multi-organ POCUS
14. Brain POCUS: Role of Cardiac ultrasound
15. Brain-POCUS: Carotid Ultrasound Protocol
16. Brain-POCUS: Vertebral Ultrasound Protocol
17. Brain-POCUS: Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH)
18. Brain-POCUS: Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH)
19. Brain-POCUS: Traumatic Brain injury
20. Brain-POCUS: Acute Ischemic Stroke
21. Brain-POCUS: Intracranial Collateral Circulation Insonation Protocol
22. Brain-POCUS: Central Nervous System (CNS) infections
23. Brain-POCUS: NCSE Insonation Protocol
24. Brain-POCUS: Insonation Protocol in Mechanical Ventilation (MV)
25. Brain-POCUS: Septic-associated Encephalopathy (SAE)
26. Brain POCUS : ECMO and ECCO2R
27. Brain-POCUS: CCaRE-US Insonation Protocol during CPR
28. Brain-POCUS: Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT)
29. Brain-POCUS: Brain Death Insonation Protocol
30. Brain-POCUS: Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM)
Section 5: Application in Special clinical situations
31. Brain-POCUS: Brain Shock
32. Brain-POCUS: Cerebral Hyperperfusion Syndrome
33. Brain-POCUS: Vascular Procedures
34. Brain-POCUS: COVID-19
35. Brain-POCUS: Coma
36. Brain-POCUS: Critical pregnancy patient
37. Brain-POCUS: Acute Liver Failure
38. Brain-POCUS: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
39. Brain-POCUS: Brain tumors
- Edition: 1
- Latest edition
- Published: April 1, 2026
- Language: English
CR
Camilo N. Rodríguez
Intensive Care Physician, University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Hospital Nacional Prof. Dr. A. Posadas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Neurocritical care Committee – FEPIMCTI
Neuro-intensive care section – ESICMNeuro-intensive care section - AMCI
Member of ESNCH
Affiliations and expertise
University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaCR
Chiara Robba
Chiara Robba is a Consultant in Neuro and General Intensive Care at Policlinico San Martino, Genova. She worked for many years at Addenbrookes Hospital, in Cambridge and she got a PhD in Neuroscience under the supervision of Prof Marek Czosnyka.
She is currently Chair of the Neuro Intensive Care section of the ESICM. Her research interests are mainly on Neuromonitoring, autoregulation and mechanical ventilation.
Affiliations and expertise
Neuro Intensive Care section of the ESICM, ItalyGS
Gisele Sampaio Silva
Gisele holds a degree in Medicine from the Federal University of Ceará (1999), a residency in Neurology from the Federal University of São Paulo (2003), a doctorate in Neurology from the Federal University of São Paulo (2005), a specialization (fellowship) in Cerebrovascular Diseases and Neurointensive Care at Harvard University/Massachusetts General Hospital (2009) and a master's degree in public health from Harvard School of Public Health (2014). She is currently a professor of Neurology at the Federal University of São Paulo and Head of Neurology Clinical Research at the Albert Einstein Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil. Gisele has been the principal investigator of numerous clinical trials in Brazil, including the RESILIENT trial, which led to the approval of mechanical thrombectomy in the Public Health System in the country. She has also held important positions in several national and international societies, such as the President of the Brazilian Stroke Society, a member of the Board of Directors for the Neurocritical Care Society, and past Secretary of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology. She is actively involved with the WSO/SIECV Certification of Stroke Centers in Latin American and Caribbean countries. She is one of the leaders of the Optimal Stroke trial, evaluating ideal blood pressure levels following ischemic stroke, which finalized the recruitment of more than 4000 patients in Brazil.
Affiliations and expertise
Federal University of São Paulo, BrazilAS
Aarti Sarwal
Dr. Aarti Sarwal is a neurologist at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She specializes in emergency and trauma care. Dr. Sarwal is a neurocritical care physician that takes care of critically ill patients with neurological injuries or those that have undergone complex neurosurgical procedures. She is board certified in Neurology, Neurocritical Care and Neurosonology. Her clinical interests include non-invasive monitoring, critical care ultrasound, neuro-ultrasound, ventilator related complications and intracranial hemorrhage. She participates in clinical research focused on improving patient outcomes. Dr. Sarwal received her medical training from Government Medical College, Patiala (India), Neurology Residency at University of Missouri, Columbia, MO followed by Neurocrtocal Care fellowship at Cleveland Clinic, OH. She is currently the Medical Director of Neurocritical Care Unit at Wake Forest Baptist Health Center, Winston Salem, USA. Aarti is a passionate educator and the Co-Director of the Ultrasound Curriculum at Wake Forest School of Medicine. Aarti’s research and clinical interests focus on point of care applications of ultrasound in Neurocritical care and non invasive imaging modalities for monitoring of Neurocritical care patients. She is a faculty for several national and international Ultrasound workshops as well as Course director for ultrasound workshops. She is listed by US News and World Report among Best Doctors. She is also a champion for use of social media platforms in medical education.
Affiliations and expertise
Professor, Neurology Atrium Wake Forest School of Medicine, USAEB
Eva Bartels
Eva Bartels, originally from Bratislava, Slovakia, where she studied medicine at the Comenius University in Bratislava, completed her neurology and psychiatry residency at various academic hospitals in Hamburg and Munich. In summer 1993 she was invitedto the Neurosonology Section of the Department of Neurology at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine/ Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA as a visiting professor. From 2000-2008 she was at the head of the Neurovascular Laboratory at the Georg-August University in Göttingen, where in 2006 she became professor of neurology. Since 2008 she is professor of neurology at the Department of Neurology at the Technical University of Munich/ Klinikum rechts der Isar. Additionally, she works in her neurological practice, a specialized Center for Neurological Vascular Diagnostics in Munich.
Affiliations and expertise
Department of Neurology, Technical University of Munich, GermanyDC
Danilo Cardim
Danilo Cardim MD, PhD (USA): University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Danilo Cardim is an academic researcher from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. The author has contributed to research in topics: Intracranial pressure & Cerebral perfusion pressure. The author has an hindex of 20, co-authored 70 publications receiving 1291 citations. Previous affiliations of Danilo Cardim include Federal University of São Carlos & University of Genoa.
Affiliations and expertise
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, USABM
Branko Malojcic
Dr. Branko Malojcic, MD, PhD, is the Director of the TIA Center, Department of Neurology at University Hospital Center Zagreb. His research interests include Neurology, Neurosonology, Neuroimaging, Neurological Diseases, Brain Injury, and Surgery.
Affiliations and expertise
University Hospital Center Zagreb, Croatia