| Fumio Kawaguchi | Research and Development Center, |
| Noriyoshi Ichikawa | Optical Topography Group, Application Development Office, |
| Noriyuki Fujiwara | Optical Topography Group, Application Development Office, |
| Yûichi Yamashita | Advanced Research Lab., |
| Shingo Kawasaki | Research and Development Center, |
Progress in medical imaging has led to remarkable advances in medical diagnosis technology. Nevertheless, the realization of advanced medical treatment requires functional imaging technology that is more practical. In contrast to morphological imaging, functional imaging captures information about the functioning of living tissues, such as blood circulation and oxygen metabolism, cerebral nervous system function and metabolic changes in various bio-materials. In recent years, progress in MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) technology has made it possible to measure circulatory system and cerebral nervous system functions in the form of images and MRI holds promise for realizing diagnostic functional imaging. MRI systems, however, are large and expensive, and they place many restrictions on the patient, which makes MRI impractical for small children and psychiatric patients in particular. There is thus a need for the development of a diagnostic system that is capable of advanced functional diagnosis, yet is not burdensome to the patient. Hitachi, Ltd. is developing an optical topography system that can make advanced brain function measurements conveniently without severe restrictions on the patient and is making progress in developing technology for the clinical application of that system. This work promises to make possible the advanced diagnosis of cerebral diseases in ordinary hospitals, whereas such diagnosis is currently available only in large medical centers.
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Optical Topography System |
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Hitachi Medical Corporation |
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The Hitachi Hyoron (Japanese Only) |
Optical topography, Near-infrared light, Cerebral blood, Hemoglobin, Brain function
