Comparison of cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen, blood flow, and bispectral index under general anesthesia

SIGNIFICANCE: The optical measurement of cerebral oxygen metabolism was evaluated. AIM: Compare optically derived cerebral signals to the electroencephalographic bispectral index (BIS) sensors to monitor propofol-induced anesthesia during surgery. APPROACH: Relative cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen ([Formula: see text]) and blood flow (rCBF) were measured by time-resolved and diffuse correlation spectroscopies. Changes were tested against the relative BIS (rBIS) ones. The synchronism in the changes was also assessed by the R-Pearson correlation. RESULTS: In 23 measurements, optically derived signals showed significant changes in agreement with rBIS: during propofol induction, rBIS decreased by 67% [interquartile ranges (IQR) 62% to 71%], [Formula: see text] by 33% (IQR 18% to 46%), and rCBF by 28% (IQR 10% to 37%). During recovery, a significant increase was observed for rBIS (48%, IQR 38% to 55%), [Formula: see text] (29%, IQR 17% to 39%), and rCBF (30%, IQR 10% to 44%). The significance and direction of the changes subject-by-subject were tested: the coupling between the rBIS, [Formula: see text] , and rCBF was witnessed in the majority of the cases (14/18 and 12/18 for rCBF and 19/21 and 13/18 for [Formula: see text] in the initial and final part, respectively). These changes were also correlated in time ([Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] , [Formula: see text]). CONCLUSIONS: Optics can reliably monitor [Formula: see text] in such conditions.