Comprehensive Optimization of Interferometric Diffusing Wave Spectroscopy (iDWS)

Light speckle fluctuations provide a means for noninvasive measurements of cerebral blood flow index (CBFi). While conventional Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy (DCS) quantifies these fluctuations to provide marginal brain sensitivity for CBFi in adult humans, new techniques have emerged to improve diffuse light throughput and brain sensitivity. Here we further optimize one such approach, interferometric diffusing wave spectroscopy (iDWS), with respect to the number of independent channels, camera duty cycle and full well capacity, incident laser power, noise and artifact mitigation, and data processing. We build the system on a cart and define conditions for stable operation. We show pulsatile CBFi monitoring at 4–4.5 cm source-collector separation in adults with moderate pigmentation (Fitzpatrick 4). We also report preliminary clinical measurements of patient CBFi in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit (Neuro ICU). These results push the boundaries of iDWS CBFi monitoring performance beyond previous reports.