Cerebral oxygen monitoring with near infrared spectroscopy: clinical application to neonates.

Near infrared spectroscopy is a new noninvasive optical method for bedside monitoring of cerebral oxygenation. It uses differential absorbance of near infrared light to assess relative changes in the oxidation-reduction state of cytochrome aa3, as well as changes in the amounts of oxyhemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin, and blood volume in the monitored field. Although this technique is applicable to all ages and sizes of patients and to multiple clinical settings, the majority of clinical studies to date have focused on the neonate. These studies have demonstrated its potential for advancing neonatal care and in understanding how diseases and therapies affect cerebral oxygenation. This paper reviews the near infrared spectroscopy technique and summarizes its potential applications in the field of neonatal intensive care.