Davide Contini and Caterina Amendola, a professor and a researcher at the Department of Physics at the Politecnico di Milano, are among the key figures in the European PROMETEUS project (Preterm Brain-Oxygenation and Metabolic EU-Sensing: Feed the Brain), which aims to improve the care of premature babies through innovative brain monitoring tools.
The project has recently reached a significant milestone with the development of a new optical device that will enable the first clinical trials to begin at the Padua Hospital Trust and University College Cork in Ireland. The aim is to monitor the oxygenation and metabolism of the infants’ brains in real time, providing useful information to tailor nutritional support during the earliest stages of life.
The technology developed as part of PROMETEUS integrates a non-invasive optical system and a miniaturised sensor for the continuous measurement of physiological parameters. The data collected are processed by advanced models capable of describing the brain’s metabolic state and supporting the adjustment of glucose and nutrient intake according to the needs of the individual patient.
The instrument is based on the use of near-infrared light, within a spectral range of approximately 650 to 850 nanometres. The platform combines two complementary techniques: one for measuring blood oxygenation and one for assessing cerebral perfusion, i.e. blood flow. Integrating this information makes it possible to estimate cerebral oxidative metabolism, a key parameter for understanding how the brain utilises available oxygen.
Pulsed lasers and single-photon detectors are used to measure oxygenation. By analysing the interaction of light with biological tissue, it is possible to determine the concentration of oxygenated and deoxygenated haemoglobin and to calculate oxygen saturation in brain tissue. The assessment of perfusion, on the other hand, is based on the Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy (DCS) technique, which utilises the coherence of laser light to obtain information on blood flow within tissues.
Once the necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained, the researchers will take the device into the clinical setting to collect the first experimental data. At this stage, it will be possible to monitor newborns over extended periods and compare the measurements obtained with data collected in clinical practice, with the aim of identifying useful indicators to prevent potential complications and improve patient management.
The data collected will also help to refine the physiological models developed as part of the project, with the aim of predicting changes in key metabolic parameters and supporting increasingly personalised treatment strategies.
The research group in the Department of Physics is led by Professor Alessandro Torricelli and collaborates with the Policlinico di Milano and the Mangiagalli Clinic. The PROMETEUS consortium brings together 11 European partners, including the University of Padua, which is involved in the development and validation of the instrumentation.
By integrating photonics, modelling and neonatal medicine, PROMETEUS aims to develop new tools to protect the neurological development of premature babies and promote an increasingly personalised approach to their care.