Systems and methods for measuring neonatal cerebral oxygenation

A method for monitoring one or more of cerebral oxygenation or total hemoglobin concentration of an infant, the method comprising:

• (A) securing a wearable support onto a head of the infant, the wearable support being sized and configured to cover at least a portion of the infant's head to be secured thereto, wherein securing the wearable support comprises:
• (i) positioning a light emitter coupled to the wearable support so that the light emitter faces and emits light toward a superior sagittal sinus of the infant's head through a fontanelle, and
• (ii) positioning an acoustic sensor coupled to the wearable support so that the acoustic sensor faces the superior sagittal sinus to detect acoustic pressure generated by blood therein through the fontanelle when the superior sagittal sinus blood absorbs the light;
• (B) causing the light to be emitted and the acoustic pressure to be detected;
• and
• (C) determining, with the aid of a processor in communication with the light emitter and the acoustic sensor, cerebral oxygenation in response to the detected acoustic pressure.

A cerebral oxygenation monitoring apparatus comprising:

• a wearable support sized and configured to cover at least a portion of a head of an infant to be secured thereto, the wearable support comprising a posterior portion configured to be placed over a posterior portion of the infant's head when the wearable support is secured to the head of the infant and a superior portion configured to be placed over a superior portion of the infant's head when the wearable support is secured to the head of the infant;
• a light emitter positioned on the posterior portion of the wearable support so that the light emitter faces and emits toward a superior sagittal sinus of the infant's head through a fontanelle when the wearable support is secured onto the infant's head;
• and
• an acoustic sensor positioned on the superior portion of the wearable support so that the acoustic sensor faces the superior portion of the head of the infant to detect acoustic pressure generated by blood in the superior sagittal sinus through the fontanelle when the superior sagittal sinus blood absorbs the light,
• wherein cerebral blood oxygenation is determined in response to the acoustic pressure detected by the acoustic sensor.

A cerebral oxygenation monitoring apparatus comprising:

• a wearable support sized and configured to cover at least a portion of a head of an infant to be secured thereto, the wearable support comprising a posterior portion configured to be placed over a posterior portion of the infant's head when the wearable support is secured to the head of the infant and a superior portion configured to be placed over a superior portion of the infant's head when the wearable support is secured to the head of the infant;
• a light emitter positioned on the superior portion of the wearable support so that the light emitter faces and emits light toward a superior sagittal sinus of the infant's head through a fontanelle when the wearable support is secured onto the infant's head;
• an acoustic sensor positioned on the posterior portion of the wearable support so that the acoustic sensor faces the posterior portion of the head of the infant to detect acoustic pressure generated by blood in the superior sagittal sinus through the fontanelle when the superior sagittal sinus blood absorbs the light,
• wherein cerebral blood oxygenation is determined in response to the acoustic pressure detected by the acoustic sensor.

A cerebral oxygenation monitoring apparatus comprising:

• a wearable support sized and configured to cover at least a portion of a head of an infant to be secured thereto, the wearable support comprising a posterior portion configured to be placed over a posterior portion of the infant's head when the wearable support is secured to the head of the infant;
• a light emitter positioned on the posterior portion of the wearable support so that the light emitter faces and emits toward a superior sagittal sinus of the infant's head through a fontanelle when the wearable support is secured onto the infant's head;
• and
• an acoustic sensor position on the posterior portion of the wearable support so that the acoustic sensor faces the posterior portion of the head of the infant to detect acoustic pressure generated by blood in the superior sagittal sinus through the fontanelle when the superior sagittal sinus blood absorbs the light,
• wherein cerebral blood oxygenation is determined in response to the acoustic pressure detected by the acoustic sensor.

A cerebral oxygenation monitoring apparatus comprising:

• a wearable support sized and configured to cover at least a portion of a head of an infant to be secured thereto, the wearable support comprising a superior portion configured to be placed over a superior portion of the infant's head when the wearable support is secured to the head of the infant;
• a light emitter positioned on the superior portion of the wearable support so that the light emitter faces and emits toward the superior portion of the infant's head through a fontanelle when the wearable support is secured onto the infant's head;
• and
• an acoustic sensor position on the superior portion of the wearable support so that the acoustic sensor faces the superior portion of the head of the infant to detect acoustic pressure generated by blood in the superior sagittal sinus through the fontanelle when the superior sagittal sinus blood absorbs the light,
• wherein cerebral blood oxygenation is determined in response to the acoustic pressure detected by the acoustic sensor.

A neonatal cerebral oxygenation monitoring apparatus comprising:

• a wearable support sized and configured to cover at least a portion of a head of an infant to be secured thereto, the wearable support comprising a posterior portion configured to be placed over a posterior portion of the infant's head when the wearable support is secured to the head of the infant and a superior portion configured to be placed over a superior portion of the infant's head when the wearable support is secured to the head of the infant;
• a light emitter positioned on the posterior portion of the wearable support so that the light emitter faces and emits toward a superior sagittal sinus of the infant's head when the wearable support is secured onto the infant's head;
• and
• an acoustic sensor positioned on the superior portion of the wearable support so that the acoustic sensor faces the superior portion of the head of the infant to detect acoustic pressure generated by blood in the superior sagittal sinus when the superior sagittal sinus blood absorbs the light,
• wherein the light emitter is configured to emit the light through a posterior fontanelle of the infant's head,
• wherein the acoustic sensor is configured to detect the acoustic pressure through an anterior fontanelle of the infant's head, and
• wherein cerebral blood oxygenation is determined in response to the acoustic pressure detected by the acoustic sensor.

A neonatal cerebral oxygenation monitoring apparatus comprising:

• a wearable support sized and configured to cover at least a portion of a head of an infant to be secured thereto, the wearable support comprising a posterior portion configured to be placed over a posterior portion of the infant's head when the wearable support is secured to the head of the infant and a superior portion configured to be placed over a superior portion of the infant's head when the wearable support is secured to the head of the infant;
• a light emitter positioned on the superior portion of the wearable support so that the light emitter faces and emits light toward a superior sagittal sinus of the infant's head when the wearable support is secured onto the infant's head;
• an acoustic sensor positioned on the posterior portion of the wearable support so that the acoustic sensor faces the posterior portion of the head of the infant to detect acoustic pressure generated by blood in the superior sagittal sinus when the superior sagittal sinus blood absorbs the light,
• wherein the light emitter is configured to emit the light through an anterior fontanelle of the infant's head,
• wherein the acoustic sensor is configured to detect the acoustic pressure through a posterior fontanelle of the infant's head, and
• wherein cerebral blood oxygenation is determined in response to the acoustic pressure detected by the acoustic sensor.