ECG-triggering of the laser Doppler perfusion imaging signal

Laser Doppler perfusion imaging is a non-invasive system for the mapping of microvascular blood flow. To be able to investigate the influence on the signal caused by the heart synchronous wave pattern, an ECG-triggered function has been added to the system. This function allows mapping of data at fixed delay times from the R-peak. ECG-triggered laser Doppler measurements on forearm skin before and after provocation showed that the highest blood flow was recorded 200-300 ms after the R-peak. During pulsative skin blood flow the influence from the heart cycle was larger compared to low non-pulsative blood flow. With ECG-triggering, this temporal component originating from the cardiac cycle can be reduced to a minimum.