Preliminary evaluation of dual wavelength phased array imaging on neonatalbrain function

Imaging of human tissue using noninvasive techniques has been of great inte rest in biomedical fields, Optical imaging has attracted a lot of attention because of its portability and economy. The possibility that a highly port able, fast, safe, and affordable imaging system which could obtain interpre table images of brain function for pre- and full-term neonates in a few sec onds, has been explored in this article, We have used a sensitive optical t opography system, termed phased array, in which a pair of equal-amplitude a nd antiphase light sources are applied to generate a sharp amplitude null a nd phase transition plane. This two-wavelength (750 and 830 nm), frequency encoded (50 and 52 MHz) phased array imaging system can indicate the blood concentration and oxygenation changes in blood model studies and during par ietal brain activation in neonates. Significant functional responses, parti cularly to parietal stimulation in normal and pathological states of neonat al brain, have been revealed in our study. The preliminary clinical results are presented in this article. (C) 2000 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumen tation Engineers. [S1083-3668(00)01002-9].