Why probe registration is crucial for infant fNIRS and HD-DOT? An evaluation across 49 newborns
- 1University of Padova
Abstract
Source-detector probe registration, i.e., the mapping of optode positions on the scalp to their true anatomical locations in head/brain space, is crucial for brain imaging with fNIRS or HD-DOT. While individual, MRI-based registration is desirable, it is not always feasible, motivating the development of alternative registration approaches. This study uses the STORM-Net registration protocol and quantifies the variation of cap alignment in a cohort of 49 newborns to evaluate how this affects reconstructed images using HD-DOT. Relative to a centrally aligned template, the cohort showed a median probe-position error of 10.12 mm, while the least and most misaligned subjects exhibited mean errors of 4.41 mm and 20.60 mm, respectively. The results demonstrate that the level of cap misalignment typically observed in newborn imaging can affect the spatial accuracy of reconstructed functional images, particularly in cases with larger probe displacements. These findings provide a quantitative basis for adopting more conservative interpretations of group-level functional brain activity and functional connectivity results, and strongly support the routine use of registration methods in infant HD-DOT studies.
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BibTeX
@misc{perkins2026probe,
title = {{Why probe registration is crucial for infant fNIRS and HD-DOT? An evaluation across 49 newborns}},
author = {G. A. Perkins and A. Flo and E. Visibelli and E. N. Dognabas and N. Reoyo-Serrano and S. Benavides-Varela},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.64898/2026.10.27.760957},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.27.760957v1},
note = {CC BY-ND},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Why probe registration is crucial for infant fNIRS and HD-DOT? An evaluation across 49 newborns
AU - G. A. Perkins
AU - A. Flo
AU - E. Visibelli
AU - E. N. Dognabas
AU - N. Reoyo-Serrano
AU - S. Benavides-Varela
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/27
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.10.27.760957
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.27.760957v1
AB - Source-detector probe registration, i.e., the mapping of optode positions on the scalp to their true anatomical locations in head/brain space, is crucial for brain imaging with fNIRS or HD-DOT. While individual, MRI-based registration is desirable, it is not always feasible, motivating the development of alternative registration approaches. This study uses the STORM-Net registration protocol and quantifies the variation of cap alignment in a cohort of 49 newborns to evaluate how this affects reconstructed images using HD-DOT. Relative to a centrally aligned template, the cohort showed a median probe-position error of 10.12 mm, while the least and most misaligned subjects exhibited mean errors of 4.41 mm and 20.60 mm, respectively. The results demonstrate that the level of cap misalignment typically observed in newborn imaging can affect the spatial accuracy of reconstructed functional images, particularly in cases with larger probe displacements. These findings provide a quantitative basis for adopting more conservative interpretations of group-level functional brain activity and functional connectivity results, and strongly support the routine use of registration methods in infant HD-DOT studies.
ER -