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Review
. 2015 Jul 1;32(13):933-41.
doi: 10.1089/neu.2014.3748. Epub 2015 Apr 17.

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in the Monitoring of Adult Traumatic Brain Injury: A Review

David J Davies  1 , Zhangjie Su  1 , Michael T Clancy  2 , Samuel J E Lucas  3 , Hamid Dehghani  4 , Ann Logan  5 , Antonio Belli  6
Affiliations
Review

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in the Monitoring of Adult Traumatic Brain Injury: A Review

David J Davies et al. J Neurotrauma. .

Abstract

Cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has long represented an exciting prospect for the noninvasive monitoring of cerebral tissue oxygenation and perfusion in the context of traumatic brain injury (TBI), although uncertainty still exists regarding the reliability of this technology specifically within this field. We have undertaken a review of the existing literature relating to the application of NIRS within TBI. We discuss current "state-of-the-art" NIRS monitoring, provide a brief background of the technology, and discuss the evidence regarding the ability of NIRS to substitute for established invasive monitoring in TBI.

Keywords: brain; injury; near-infrared; review; spectroscopy; trauma.

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Figures

<b>FIG. 1.</b>
FIG. 1.
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) Illustrated: NIR light is applied to the surface, typically using fiber optics, and the transmitted/reflected signal is measured via a detector fiber. The path of light is diffuse, its spectrally varying attenuation providing information about bulk concentrations of “chromophores” in tissue.
<b>FIG. 2.</b>
FIG. 2.
Absorption coefficients of oxy (HbO2) and deoxy (Hb) hemoglobin, water, and lipids showing the basis for the near-infrared (NIR) window.
<b>FIG. 3.</b>
FIG. 3.
Examples of input and output data for the three main types of instruments; (A) continuous wave, (B) frequency domain, (C) time domain.
<b>FIG. 4.</b>
FIG. 4.
Example of computational models used to predict light path within a three-dimensional complex structure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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