 Near-infrared spectroscopy NIRS provides a non-invasive monitoring of regional oxygen saturation rSO2 and has been previously used to evaluate mesenteric perfusion in preterm infants at increased risk for intestinal complications. Abdominal rSO2 detected by NIRS has been shown to effectively reflect mesenteric blood flow changes. A significant correlation between lower abdominal rSO2 values in the first week of life and subsequent NEC development has been recently observed in a cohort of preterm infants, confirming previous data from animal models. 