title: Early diagnosis of cerebral infarction with near-infrared spectroscopy: an experimental study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To monitor the changes in the blood flow and blood-oxygen content in rat cerebral tissue with focal cerebral infarction using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), so as to verify the value of NIRS in early diagnosis of cerebral infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focal cerebral infarction models were established in 16 rats by injecting silk threads into the internal carotid artery. The bilateral blood flow and blood-oxygen content were monitored with NIRS in the models and also in 16 normal rats receiving saline injection to serve as blank control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Focal cerebral infarction in rats caused the decrement in blood-oxygen content and the increase in blood flow. No changes were observed in the control group after saline injection (P >0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the earlier stages of focal cerebral infarction, blood-oxygen decreases while blood flow increases in the infarcted area. NIRS provides real-time, non-invasive monitoring of blood volume and blood-oxygen content in the cerebral tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Guo-jie
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Lian-ting
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Zuo-quan
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Shang-zhen
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Qin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001810:Blood Volume; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen