Non-invasive laser device for real-time identification of stroke risk

Researchers from the California Institute of Technology and the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California have developed a laser-based wearable device capable of non-invasively and in real-time identifying stroke risk. The device uses infrared lasers to pass through the skull, monitoring changes in cerebral blood flow, and analyzes the blood flow velocity using a speckle contrast optical spectroscopy (SCOS) system.

The study recruited 50 participants, divided into high-risk and low-risk groups. The device analyzed cerebral blood flow and volume while participants held their breath, revealing significant differences between the two groups. Professor Chonghuai Yang of the California Institute of Technology noted that SCOS can measure the degree of vascular dilation and blood flow velocity, reflecting vascular stiffness, a unique non-invasive measurement capability of transcranial optical methods.

The research team is exploring the application of machine learning in data analysis and plans to conduct long-term clinical trials. Charles Liu of the University of Southern California believes that the technology has the potential to be included in annual physical examinations, providing doctors with important health information, particularly beneficial for communities with limited medical resources.

This research was published in the journal Biomedical Optics Express, showcasing the potential of laser technology in medical diagnostics and potentially bringing revolutionary changes to stroke risk assessment.