Abstract

The continuous light method like RunMan hemoglobinometer was successfully used to record hemoglobin desaturation of the brain in comatose patients and the detection of brain bleeds. In this paper, a new optical probe for brain oxygenation detection-fiber hairbrush is presented. This novel probe can replace the usual RunMan probe and make the RunMan device more flexible when measuring the brain deoxygenation and desaturation. To seek the possibility of functional imaging on human brain by the hairbrush, several tests have been taken. It is shown that (1) fiber hairbrush can detect the same signal through the hair as the usual RunMan probe do from the direct contact measurement. (2) Object hidden in the brain model can be detected and imaged by the hairbrush. (3) Oxygenation changes of the human brain due to motor activity can be indicated. Further experimental results on human brain activity by a computer controlled continuous wave optical imaging probe were presented. The functional image from the imaging probe can localize the relative concentration in Oxy-Hb changes of brain which corresponds anatomically to the motor cortex.

© 1996 Optical Society of America