title: Focal increase in cerebral blood flow after treatment with near-infrared light to the forehead in a patient in a persistent vegetative state.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to quantify the cerebral blood flow (CBF) after bilateral, transcranial near-infrared light-emitting diode (LED) irradiation to the forehead in a patient in a persistent vegetative state following severe head injury.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Positive behavioral improvement has been observed following transcranial near-infrared light therapy in humans with chronic traumatic brain injury and acute stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single-photon emission computed tomography with N-isopropyl-[123I]p-iodoamphetamine (IMP-SPECT) was performed following a series of LED treatments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IMP-SPECT showed unilateral, left anterior frontal lobe focal increase of 20%, compared to the pre-treatment value for regional CBF (rCBF) for this area, following 146 LED treatments over 73 days from an array of 23×850 nm LEDs, 13 mW each, held 5 mm from the skin, 30 min per session, the power density 11.4 mW/cm(2); the energy density 20.5 J/cm(2) at the skin. The patient showed some improvement in his neurological condition by moving his left arm/hand to reach the tracheostomy tube, post-LED therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transcranial LED might increase rCBF with some improvement of neurological condition in severely head-injured patients. Further study is warranted.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan. nawa1957@ndmc.ac.jp
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Nawashiro
authors: Kojiro
authors: K
authors: Wada
authors: Kanji
authors: K
authors: Nakai
authors: Shunichi
authors: S
authors: Sato
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005546:Forehead; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D016896:Treatment Outcome