Near-infrared photons: a non-invasive probe for studying bone blood flow regulation in humans.

Tiziano Binzoni,Lorenzo Spinelli

doi:10.1186/s40101-015-0066-2

Abstract

The study of bone blood flow regulation in humans has always represented a difficult task for the clinician and the researcher. Classical measurement techniques imply the presence of ionizing radiation or contrast agents, or they are slow or cannot be repeated too often in time. In the present review, we would like to give a perspective on how the optical approach might overcome some of these problems and give unique solutions to the study of bone blood flow regulation. We hope that the present contribution will encourage the scientific community to put a greater attention on this approach.

Highlights

The study of bone blood flow regulation in humans has always been a challenging topic
Optical technologies, based on near infrared light, might represent a unique solution allowing to surmount some of the these difficulties and open the possibility to approach from a new angle the study of blood flow regulation in bone
We must not forget that these techniques are portable, have imaging capabilities, and can be used in special environments such as during water immersion [25], in flight simulators [26], in hyperbaric chambers [27, 28], during high altitude hiking [29], in microgravity, or during parabolic flights [29, 30]

Summary

Introduction

The study of bone blood flow regulation in humans has always been a challenging topic. Known techniques allowing the monitoring of blood flow appear to be invasive (e.g., utilization of ionizing radiation or contrast agents) or do not permit fast measurements (e.g., to follow blood flow pulsations) over repeated or long periods of time. These techniques are often very expensive and cannot be used at the patient bedside [1,2,3,4]. Due to the phenomenon of diffusion, light propagates in all directions, and it is re-emitted from the same surface where it is injected.

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Conclusion