The application of near-infrared spectroscopy in rehabilitation of stroke / 中华神经科杂志

ABSTRACT

Stroke is a cerebrovascular disease that damages brain tissue due to blockage or rupture of blood vessels, and is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Diagnosing, monitoring stroke and the treatment effects all rely on neuroimaging that detects changes in the brain. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a novel neuroimaging technique which is based on the non-invasively measuring of concentration changes of oxyhemoglobin and reduced hemoglobin. This review summarizes the underlying mechanisms of NIRS and its current clinical application in stroke, as well as the limitations of NIRS in broader clinical applications.