Non-Invasive Monitoring of Changes in Intracranial Pressure Due to Infections in the Central Nervous System

Infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are associated with brain swelling and increased cerebral blood volume, as well as focal cerebral perfusion deficits, variable levels of cerebral blood flow and cerebral vasculitis. The net result is increased intracranial pressure (ICP) along with significant risk of brain tissue herniation and ischemic syndromes. ICP monitoring is critical in the management of CNS infections. While invasive ICP measurements through direct access to the cranium using catheters provide reliable ICP measurements, it involves complicated clinical procedures and risks of infection. In Phase I we demonstrated the functionality of sensors that provide high-resolution optical and ultrasound characterization of the internal carotid artery. We also demonstrated the feasibility of obtaining ICP by applying the measurements on pressure-volume intracranial models. In Phase II, we will fully validate the ICP measurements through animal and human studies and build field-deployable units that can non-invasively track changes in ICP associated with CNS infections.