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Updated: Mar 26, 2026
Using Laser Doppler Imaging and Monitoring to Analyze Spinal Cord Microcirculation in Rat
Published on: May 30, 2018
High-Resolution Laser Doppler Measurements of Microcirculation in the Deep Brain Structures: A Method for Potential
Karin Wårdell1, Simone Hemm-Ode, Peter Rejmstad
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linkx00F6;ping University, Linkx00F6;ping, Sweden.
Background:
Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) can be used to measure cerebral microcirculation in relation to stereotactic deep brain stimulation (DBS) implantations.
Objective:
To investigate the microcirculation and total light intensity (TLI) corresponding to tissue grayness in DBS target regions with high-resolution LDF recordings, and to define a resolution which enables detection of small vessels.
Methods:
Stereotactic LDF measurements were made prior to DBS implantation with 0.5-mm steps in the vicinity to 4 deep brain targets (STN, GPi, Vim, Zi) along 20 trajectories. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the microcirculation and TLI between targets, and the measurement resolution (0.5 vs. 1 mm). The numbers of high blood flow spots along the trajectories were calculated.
Results:
There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in microcirculation between the targets. High blood flow spots were present at 15 out of 510 positions, 7 along Vim and GPi trajectories, respectively. There was no statistical difference between resolutions even though both local blood flow and TLI peaks could appear at 0.5-mm steps.
Conclusions:
LDF can be used for online tracking of critical regions presenting blood flow and TLI peaks, possibly relating to vessel structures and thin laminas along stereotactic trajectories.
