OCT Under Pressure
Could optical coherence tomography ever replace current – highly invasive – intracranial pressure monitoring methods?
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The pressure within the skull is a critically important factor in numerous conditions, including traumatic brain injuries and intracranial haemorrhage. But the only way to monitor intracranial pressure relies on a probe or catheter inserted into the intracranial compartment – an invasive procedure that brings the risk of further complications.
Looking for an alternative, researchers from Oslo University Hospital-Ullevål and the University of Oslo, Norway, have been exploring the predictive potential of optical coherence tomography (OCT). The team’s previous research showed that OCT could be used to estimate static intracranial pressure measurements. And their latest work provides evidence that OCT parameters can also predict elevated pulsatile intracranial pressure (1). Are we witnessing the birth of a noninvasive alternative? OCT manufacturers will likely be watching with a keen eye…
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