Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging in Neurosurgery: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Medical Imaging
• Cerebrovascular Physiology

Background:

• Intraoperative monitoring of cerebral blood flow is crucial in neurosurgery.
• Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) is an emerging technique for real-time blood flow assessment.
• This review synthesizes the current experience with intraoperative LSCI in neurosurgical interventions.

Approach:

• A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science.
• Keywords included "Laser-Speckle," "Laser Speckle," "Laser speckle contrast imaging," and "LSCI."
• Inclusion criteria focused on English-language publications with patient data from neurosurgical procedures.

Key Points:

• The initial search identified 508 publications, with 8 studies and 102 patients included in the final analysis.
• Studies were excluded based on language, non-human subjects, or non-neurosurgical applications.
• LSCI demonstrated advantages for intraoperative cerebral blood flow assessment.

Conclusions:

• LSCI is a promising tool for intraoperative cerebral blood flow monitoring in neurosurgery.
• The method offers advantages over existing modalities.
• Further research and clinical implementation are necessary due to limited case series experience.