Affiliations: Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Chemin de la Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC, Canada | Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128, Downtown Succ., Montreal, QC, Canada
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Anne Gallagher, Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Chemin de la Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada. Tel.: +1 514 345 4931 ext. 4559; Fax: +1 514 343 5787; E-mail: anne.gallagher@umontreal.ca.
Abstract: Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a noninvasive neuroimaging technique that is highly suitable for pediatric populations due to its many advantages. In past decades, research on clinical applications and technical development of NIRS software and equipment has significantly increased, leading to greater use in children with epilepsy, especially for presurgical assessment. In this review, the NIRS signal and data acquisition are first described. Then, clinical applications in pediatric epilepsy, including the characterization and prediction of seizures, presurgical language mapping and epileptogenic zone localization, and detection of postsurgical cerebral reorganization are presented. Advantages and limitations of using NIRS in children with epilepsy are also discussed. Finally, potential developments and research applications for NIRS in the pediatric population with epilepsy are proposed.
Keywords: Near infrared spectroscopy, children, epilepsy, presurgical assessment, language mapping, epileptic focus localization, noninvasive neuroimaging
