Non invasive local cerebral oxygenation monitoring using a combination of light and ultrasound

We present a new imaging technology that will allow to obtain three-dimensional maps of oxygen saturation in the brain tissues. This technology is not invasive and not ionizing, and can lead to small, portable device that can be brought to bedside.

The technology uses a combination of near-infrared laser light and ultrasound. Like for other near-infrared spectroscopy techniques, light gives the information on the hemoglobin species present in the tissues. However, since tissues are turbid media, light alone cannot give precise local information. In the technique that we demonstrate, localization is obtained using a focussed ultrasound that locally shifts the laser wavelength, similarly to laser doppler techniques. The frequency-shifted light can be precisely detected and attributed without ambiguities to a specific location. By scanning the ultrasound focus, we can obtain a mapping of the oxygen saturation.

We present preliminary results on a phantom showing the detection of an absorbing object buried more than two centimeters within the phantom. Scanning the ultrasound on the phantom allows to determine precisely the object position and absorption. Scattering and absorption parameters of the phantom are similar to the brain's. The probe works in the reflection mode, meaning that no transillumination is needed. The ultrasound frequency is 1.25 MHz, ensuring relatively good ultrasound penetration within the skull.

The method is very promising for brain imaging of trauma or tumors. It is particularly suited for monitoring, since the use of the ultrasound removes the well-recognized problem of light propagation in the CSF.