Simultaneous integrated diffuse optical tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging of the human brain

A complete methodology has been developed to integrate simultaneous diffuse optical tomography (DOT) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements. This includes development of an MRI-compatible optical probe and a method for accurate estimation of the positions of the source and detector optodes in the presence of subject-specific geometric deformations of the optical probe. Subject-specific head models are generated by segmentation of structural MR images. DOT image reconstruction involves solution of the forward problem of light transport in the head using Monte Carlo simulations, and inversion of the linearized problem for small perturbations of the absorption coefficient. Initial results show good co-localization between the DOT images of changes in oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin concentration and functional MRI data.