slashdot has an article from University College London on a portable ultrasound brain scanner that could help save babies in NICU and other ICU situations. Basically the less the infant is moved to say an MRI, (less traumatic as often it requires sedation) the better.

A helmet incorporating 32 light detectors and 32 sources of completely safe, low-intensity laser light is placed on the baby’s head. The sources produce short flashes and the detectors measure the amount of light that reaches them through the brain and the time the light takes to travel. A software package also developed with EPSRC* funding uses this information to build up a 3D image. This can show which parts of the brain are receiving oxygen, where blood is situated, evidence of brain damage etc.

Wow. They are also hoping to use this amazing technology in breast imaging for cancer research.

In the coming years they hope to further optimise, shrinking the size of the unit and the time to generate an image should result in a commercially available product in the next few years. May that time come quickly, though I would prefer it not be needed.

* The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is the UK’s main agency for funding research in engineering and the physical sciences.