Research lead
A researcher at Leicester University in the UK has developed a new method of diagnosing stroke and monitoring the progress of patients using military radar signal processing equipment.
The research, carried out by Joanne Cowe in the University’s Medical Physics group involved using the military equipment to detect emboli (blood clots or other foreign bodies) blocking small blood vessels in the brain and causing the stroke. 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,” said Cowe.