Imaging of tissue blood flow by coherent light scattering

A tissue perfusion imager is presented, the characteristics of which combine the advantages of laser Doppler flowmetry with a facility for displaying spatial information on microvascular perfusion. A preliminary evaluation of the system was performed at a scanning rate of four positions/s. The evaluation shows that an arrested skin blood flow distal to finger occlusion is readily and clearly revealed by the perfusion imager as is the extension of the hyperemia surrounding an experimental burn. The perfuser imager is noninvasive, allowing the recording of tissue blood flow without touching the object.<>