Contrast-enhanced diffuse optical tomography of brain perfusion in humans using ICG

Continuous monitoring of brain perfusion at the bedside in neurointensive care is desirable. Currently used imaging modalities are not suited for frequent monitoring and often require the transport of the patient. Noninvasive near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in combination with an injection of a safe dye (indocyanine green, ICG) could serve as a quasicontinuous brain perfusion monitor. In this work, we evaluate prerequisites for the development of a brain perfusion monitor using continuous wave (cw) NIRS technique. We present results from a high-resolution diffuse optical tomography (HR-DOT) experiment in humans demonstrating the separation of signals from skin from the brain. This technique can help to monitor neurointensive care patients on a regular basis, detecting changes in cortical perfusion in time.