Diffuse correlation spectroscopy for non-invasive, micro-vascular cerebral blood flow measurement

Abstract

Diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) uses the temporal fluctuations of near-infrared (NIR) light to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) non-invasively. Here, we provide a brief history of DCS applications in the brain with an emphasis on the underlying physical ideas, common instrumentation and validation. Then we describe recent clinical research that employs DCS-measured CBF as a biomarker of patient well-being, and as an indicator of hemodynamic and metabolic responses to functional stimuli.

Keywords: Cerebral blood flow; Cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen extraction; Diffuse correlation spectroscopy; Diffuse optics; Functional neuroimaging; Ischemic stroke; Near-infrared spectroscopy; Neonatalogy; Neurocritical care.