In 1993, four different groups reported a novel noninvasive technique with which to image hemodynamics in the brain. The technique – functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) – enables study of both healthy brain development and a range of diseases and disorders by monitoring changes in cerebral hemoglobin concentrations, based on changes in optical absorption obtained by shining near-infrared light on the scalp and measuring the amount of light that reaches a detector a few centimeters away. Read more at: nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/news/131216
