Volumetric vascular brain imaging in small animals with near-infrared optical tomography

We performed three-dimensional optical tomographic brain imaging studies on small animals. Using near-infrared continuous light to probe rat brains, we were able to test our diffuse optical tomographic reconstruction algorithm. The preliminary experimental results focused on visualizing the hemodynamics in the rat head in response to perturbations in the inspired CO/sub 2/ concentration. Good agreement with observed and known physiological phenomena was obtained.