SignificanceA shortcoming of the routine clinical use of diffuse optics (DO) in the injured head has been that the results from commercial near-infrared spectroscopy-based devices are not reproducible, often give physiologically invalid values, and differ among systems. Besides the limitations due to the physics of continuous-wave light sources, one culprit is the head heterogeneity and the underlying morphological and functional abnormalities of the probed tissue.AimThe aim is to investigate the effect that different tissue alterations in the damaged head have on DO signals and provide guidelines to avoid data misinterpretation.ApproachDO measurements and computed tomography scans were acquired on brain-injured patients. The relationship between the signals and the underlying tissue types was classified on a case-by-case basis.ResultsExamples and suggestions to establish quality control routines were provided. The findings suggested guidelines for carrying out DO measurements and speculations toward improved devices.ConclusionsWe advocate for the standardization of the DO measurements to secure a role for DO in neurocritical care. We suggest that blind measurements are unacceptably problematic due to confounding effects and care using a priori and a posteriori quality control routines that go beyond an assessment of the signal-to-noise ratio that is typically utilized.
SignificanceBenign external hydrocephalus (BEH) is considered a self-limiting pathology with a good prognosis. However, some children present a pathological intracranial pressure (ICP) characterized by quantitative and qualitative alterations (the so-called B-waves) that can lead to neurological sequelae.AimOur purpose was to evaluate whether there were cerebral hemodynamic changes associated with ICP B-waves that could be evaluated with noninvasive neuromonitoring.ApproachWe recruited eleven patients (median age 16 months, range 7 to 55 months) with BEH and an unfavorable evolution requiring ICP monitoring. Bedside, nocturnal monitoring using near-infrared time-resolved and diffuse correlation spectroscopies synchronized to the clinical monitoring was performed.ResultsBy focusing on the timing of different ICP patterns that were identified manually by clinicians, we detected significant tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) changes (p = 0.002) and blood flow index (BFI) variability (p = 0.005) between regular and high-amplitude B-wave patterns. A blinded analysis looking for analogs of ICP patterns in BFI time traces achieved 90% sensitivity in identifying B-waves and 76% specificity in detecting the regular patterns.ConclusionsWe revealed the presence of StO2 and BFI variations—detectable with optical techniques—during ICP B-waves in BEH children. Finally, the feasibility of detecting ICP B-waves in hemodynamic time traces obtained noninvasively was shown.
Intracranial pressure (ICP) is a critical biomarker measured invasively with the risk of complications. There is a need for non-invasive methods to estimate ICP. Diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) allows the non-invasive measurement of pulsatile, microvascular cerebral blood flow which contains information about ICP. Recently, our proof-of-concept study used machine-learning to deduce ICP from DCS signals to estimate ICP resulting in excellent linearity and a reasonable accuracy (±4 mmHg). Here, we extend to a multi-center (three centers) data set of adults with acute brain injury (N=34). We will present the results from the complete data set as new data flows in.
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