Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sensitivity of Near Infrared Spectroscopy to Cerebral and Extra-Cerebral Oxygenation Changes is Determined by Emitter-Detector Separation

  • Published:
Journal of Clinical Monitoring and Computing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective. To examine the effect of two emitter-detector separations (2.7 and 5.5 cm) on the detection of changes in cerebral and extra-cerebral tissue oxygenation using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Methods. Two NIR detectors were placed on the scalp 2.7 and 5.5 cm from a single NIR emitter. Changes in deoxyhaemoglobin (HHb), oxyhaemoglobin (O2Hb),oxidised cytochrome C oxidase (Cyt) and total haemoglobin (tHb) were recorded from each detector during the induction of cerebral oligaemia (transition from hypercapnia to hypocapnia) and scalp hyperaemia (following release of a scalp tourniquet). Results. Cerebral oligaemia (mean decrease in middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity of 44%) induced by a mean reduction in end tidal CO2 of 18 mmHg was accompanied by a significant increase in the spectroscopic signal for HHb and a decrease in the O2Hb signal. The signal change per unit photon path length detected at 5.5 cm was significantly greater for HHb (p = 0.007) than that detected at 2.7 cm. In contrast, the increase in all chromophores detected at 5.5 cm during scalp hyperaemia was significantly less than that detected at 2.7 cm (p < 0.001). Conclusions. The differing sensitivity of the proximal and distal channels to changes in cerebral and extra-cerebral oxygenation is compatible with theoretical models of NIR light transmission in the adult head and may provide a basis for spatially resolving these changes. The optimal emitter-detector separation for adult NIRS requires further investigation and may differ between individuals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Okada E, Firbank M, Schweiger M, Arridge SR, Cope M, Delpy DT. A theoretical and experimental investigation of the effect of sulci on light propagation in brain tissue. SPIE 1995; 2626: 2-8

    Google Scholar 

  2. Schwarz G, Litscher Gerhard, Kleinert R, Jobstmann R. Cerebral oximetry in dead subjects. J Neurosurg Anaesthesiol 1996; 8(3); 189-193

    Google Scholar 

  3. Lewis SB, Myburgh JA, Thornton EL, Reilly PL. Cerebral oxygenation monitoring by near-infrared spectroscopy is not clinically useful in patients with severe closed head injury: A comparison with jugular bulb oximetry. Crit Care Med 1996; 24: 1334-1338

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Grubhofer G, Lassnigg A, Manlik F, Marx E, Trubel W, Hiesmayr M. The contribution of extracranial blood oxygenation on near-infrared spectroscopy during carotid thrombendarterectomy. Anaesthesia 1997; 52: 116-120

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. McKeating EG, Monjardino JR, Signorini DF, Souter MJ, Andrews PJD. A comparison of the Invos 3100 and the Critikon 2020 near-infrared spectrophotometers as monitors of cerebral oxygenation. Anaesthesia 1997; 52: 136-140

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Wray JS, Cope M, Delpy DT, Wyatt JS, Osmund E, Reynolds R. Characterisation of the near infrared absorption spectra of cytochrome aa3 and haemoglobin for the non-invasive monitoring of cerebral oxygenation. Biochemica et Biophysica Acta 1988; 933: 184-192

    Google Scholar 

  7. Brunori M, Antonini E, Wilson MT. Cytochrome oxidase: An overview of recent work. In: H Sigel, ed. Metal Ions In Biological Systems. New York, Marcel Dekker, 1981: 188-228

    Google Scholar 

  8. Essenpreis M, Cope M, Elwell CE, Arridge SR, Van der Zee P, Delpy DT.Wavelength dependence of the differential pathlength factor and the log slope in time-resolved tissue spectroscopy. In: U Dirnagl, ed. Optical Imaging of Brain Function and Metabolism. New York, Plenum Press, 1993: 9-20

    Google Scholar 

  9. Van der Zee P, Cope M, Arridge SR, Essenpreis M, Potter LA, Edwards AD, Wyatt JS, McCormick DC, Roth SC, Reynolds EOR, Delpy DT. Experimentally measured optical pathlengths for the adult head, calf and forearm and the head of the newborn infant as a function of inter emitter-detector spacing. Advances Experiment Med Biol 1992; 316: 143-153

    Google Scholar 

  10. Bonner R, Nossal R, Havlin S, Weiss GH. Model for photon migration in turbid biological media. J Optical SocietyAmerica 1987; 4(3): 423-432

    Google Scholar 

  11. Cui W, Kumar C, Chance B. Experimental study of migration depth for the photons measured at sample surface. SPIE 1991; 1431: 180-191

    Google Scholar 

  12. Nossal R, Kiefer J, Weiss GH, Bonner RF, Taitelbaum H, Havlin S. Photon migration in layered media. Applied Optics 1988; 27: 3382-3391

    Google Scholar 

  13. Cui L, Ostrander L. Assessment of layered optical properties in biological tissue from dual wavelength optical reflectance measurement. Proceedings of the 12th Annual International Conference IEEE Engineering In Medicine and Biology Society. 1990; 12: 1115-1116

    Google Scholar 

  14. Chance B, Leigh JS, Miyake J. Comparison of time resolved and unresolved measurements of deoxyhaemoglobin in the brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci 1988; 85: 4971-4975

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Harris DNF, Cowans FM, Wertheim DA, Hamid S. NIRS in adults-effects of increasing emitter-detector separation. In: P Vaupel, ed. Oxygen Transport to Tissue XV. NewYork, Plenum Press, 1994: 837-840

    Google Scholar 

  16. McCormick PW, Stewart M, Lewis G, Dujovny M, Ausman JI. Intracerebral penetration of infrared light. J Neurosurg 1992; 76: 315-318

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Hongo K, Kobayashi S, Okudera H, Masonobu H, Nakagawa F. Noninvasive cerebral optical spectroscopy: Depth-resolved measurements of cerebral haemodynamics using indocyanine green. Neurolog Res 1995; 17: 89-93

    Google Scholar 

  18. Delpy DT, Cope M, van der Zee P, Arridge S, Wray S, Wyatt J. Estimation of optical pathlength through tissue from direct time of flight measurement. Phys Med Biol 1988; 33(12): 1433-1442

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. McCormick PW, Stewart M, Goetting MG, Dujovny M, Lewis G, Ausman JI. Noninvasive cerebral optical spectroscopy for monitoring cerebral oxygen delivery and haemodynamics. Crit CareMed 1991; 19(1): 89-97

    Google Scholar 

  20. Germon TJ, Kane NM, Manara AR, Nelson RJ. Near infrared spectroscopy in adults: Effects of extracranial ischaemia and intracranial hypoxia on estimation of cerebral oxygenation. Br J Anaesth 1994; 73: 503-506

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Germon TJ, Young AER, Manara AR, Nelson RJ. Extracerebral absorption of near infrared light influences the detection of increased cerebral oxygenation monitored by near infrared spectroscopy. J Neurol Neurosurg Psych 1995; 58: 477-479

    Google Scholar 

  22. Harris DNF, Bailey SM. Near infrared spectroscopy in adults: Does the Invos 3100 really measure intracerebral oxygenation? Anaesthesia 1993; 48: 694-696

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Brown R, Wright G, Royston D. A comparison of two systems for assessing cerebral venous oxyhaemoglobin saturation during cardiopulmonary bypass in humans. Anaesthesia 1993; 48: 697-700

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kety SS, Schmidt CF. The effects of altered arterial tensions of carbon dioxide and oxygen on cerebral blood flow and cerebral oxygen consumption of normal young men. J Clin Invest 1948; 27: 484

    Google Scholar 

  25. Symon L. Pathological regulation in cerebral ischaemia. In:Wood JH, ed. Cerebral Blood Flow, Physiologic and Clinical Aspects. New York, McGraw-Hill Book Co, 1987: 413-424

    Google Scholar 

  26. Greenberg JH, Alavi A, Reivich M, Kuhl D, Uzzell B. Local cerebral blood volume response to carbon dioxide in man. Circ Res 1978; 43(2): 324-331

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Smielewski P, Kirkpatrick P, Minhas P, Pickard JD, Czosnyka M. Can cerebrovascular reactivity be measured with near infrared spectroscopy? Stroke 1995; 26: 2285-2292

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Harris DNF, Cowans FM, Wertheim DA. NIRS in the temporal region-strong influence of external carotid artery. In: P Vaupel ed. Oxygen Transport to Tissue XV. NewYork, Plenum Press, 1994: 825-828

    Google Scholar 

  29. Elwell CE, Owen-Reece H, Cope M, Wyatt JS, Edwards AD, Delpy DT, Reynolds EO. Measurement of adult cerebral haemodynamics using near infrared spectroscopy. Acta Neurochirurg 1993; 59(Suppl): 74-80

    Google Scholar 

  30. Ferrari M, Zanette F, Sideri G, Gianni I, Fieschi C, Carpi A. Effects of carotid compression, as assessed by near infrared spectroscopy, upon cerebral blood volume and haemoglobin oxygen saturation. J Royal Soc Med 1987; 80: 83-87

    Google Scholar 

  31. Villringer A, Planck J, Hock C, Schleinkofer L, Dirnagl U. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS): A new tool to study haemodynamic changes during activation of brain function in human adults. Neuroscience Lett 1993; 154(1-2): 101-104

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Frenchay Hospital, Frenchay, Bristol, U.K.

    T. J. Germon & R. J. Nelson

  2. European Product Development Centre, Johnson & Johnson Medical Ltd, Imperial House, Celtic Lakes, Newport, Gwent, U.K.

    P. D. Evans, N. J. Barnett & P. Wall

  3. Department of Anaesthetics, Frenchay Hospital, Frenchay, Bristol, U.K.

    A. R. Manara

Authors
  1. T. J. Germon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. D. Evans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. R. Manara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. N. J. Barnett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. P. Wall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. R. J. Nelson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Germon, T.J., Evans, P.D., Manara, A.R. et al. Sensitivity of Near Infrared Spectroscopy to Cerebral and Extra-Cerebral Oxygenation Changes is Determined by Emitter-Detector Separation. J Clin Monit Comput 14, 353–360 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009957032554

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009957032554

Search

Navigation