<title>Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a diagnostic tool in patients with suspected stroke or traumatic brain injury</title>

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) as a diagnostic tool in patients with suspected stroke or brain injury S. Goldberg, C. Lott, M. Ostermeyer, H.-J. Hennes Absorption of Near-Infrared (NIR) light in the brain is mainly caused by hemoglobin. Superficial intracranial hematoma with a higher concentration of hemoglobin causes a higher absorption in NIRS. The existence of hemorrhage can be demonstrated by the difference of optical density, comparing identical measuring points at both hemispheres of the brain: absorption of NIR light is greater at the side of the hemorrhage, causing less reflection in NIRS. In a prospective, blinded study, 100 patients who were scheduled for CCT-scan for brain inj…

High dose naloxone does not improve cerebral or myocardial blood flow during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in pigs

In a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial we tested the hypothesis that naloxone given during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) enhances cerebral and myocardial blood flow. Twenty-one anesthetized, normoventilated pigs were instrumented for measurements of right atrial and aortic pressures, and regional organ blood flow (radiolabeled microspheres). After 5 min of untreated fibrillatory arrest, CPR was commenced using a pneumatic chest compressor/ventilator. With onset of CPR, an i.v. bolus of 40 micrograms/kg b.w. of epinephrine was given, followed by an infusion of 0.4 micrograms/kg per min. After 5 min of CPR, either naloxone, 10 mg/kg b.w. (group N, n = 11) o…

<title>Noninvasive detection of intracerebral hemorrhage using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)</title>

Intracerebral Hemorrhage (IH) is an important cause of secondary brain injury in neurosurgical patients. Early identification and treatment improve neurologic outcome. We have tested Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) as an alternative noninvasive diagnostic tool compared to CT-Scans to detect IH. We prospectively studied 212 patients with neurologic symptoms associated with intracranial pathology before performing a CT-scan. NIRS signals indicated pathologies in 181 cases (sensitivity 0.96; specificity 0.29). In a subgroup of subdural hematomas NIRS detected 45 of 46 hematomas (sensitivity 0.96; specificity 0.79). Identification of intracerebral hemorrhage using NIRS has the potential to al…

Application of near infrared spectroscopy in the ICU for follow-up of patients with subdural haematomas