Project Summary/Abstract
Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy (DCS) is a powerful new tool to assess cerebral and skeletal muscle
microvascular perfusion. DCS is completely noninvasive, has excellent temporal resolution, and has been
validated in a variety of organs and tissues, against several different standards, including laser Doppler , Xenon-
CT, fluorescent microsphere flow measurements, arterial spin labelled-MRI, and pulse-wave Doppler ultrasound.
Combining DCS with conventional near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)—an established technique for
characterizing the transport and utilization of oxygen—introduces exciting new possibilities for understanding the
determinants of cerebral and muscle oxygen utilization, at the microvascular level. The specific aim of this
application is to acquire an ISS MetaOx Tissue Oxygen Consumption Monitor – currently the only commercially
available DCS device on the market. This instrument is well suited for a multidisciplinary core facility due to its
user-friendly integrated software, and robust analysis features. It address all of the limitations currently
associated with our current NIRS/DCS systems, including quantitative measurement of hemoglobin
concentration using Frequency-Domain Near-Infrared Spectroscopy. Moreover, its cross-organ versatility
extends its research application beyond cerebral oxygen metabolism—for which it was originally designed for—
allowing UTA faculty to also assess the determinants of skeletal muscle oxygen metabolism and skeletal muscle
blood flow regulation; an area of research that UTA faculty are actively involved in. The MetaOx will significantly
enhance the research and educational infrastructure of UTA, and will stimulate collaborative research projects
between a large group of extramurally funded faculty members, spanning multiple Colleges and many
Departments across campus.