Blood Oxygenation Sensor
First Claim
1. A method of determining the concentration of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in blood, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a waveguide comprising a planar support as a cladding on a first surface with a second surface parallel to the plane of the first surface, and terminating with a reflective surface orthogonal to the direction of propagation, b) placing the second surface of the waveguide in contact with blood c) propagating light through the waveguide toward the mirror, d) measuring the intensity of light reflected by the mirror.
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Abstract
A planar dielectric waveguide sensor is used to determine the concentrations of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin and other blood constituents such as pH, sugar. The planar waveguide core is in direct contact with the blood such that evanescent field of the light propagating within the core is selectively attenuated at specific wavelengths of interest. The planar waveguide has a construction that promotes strong interaction of the evanescent field with blood cells that contact it. In preferred embodiments, the waveguide is constructed of a low refractive index core to propagate an evanescent wave comparable in size to a red blood cell.
29 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of determining the concentration of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in blood, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a waveguide comprising a planar support as a cladding on a first surface with a second surface parallel to the plane of the first surface, and terminating with a reflective surface orthogonal to the direction of propagation, b) placing the second surface of the waveguide in contact with blood c) propagating light through the waveguide toward the mirror, d) measuring the intensity of light reflected by the mirror. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A device for measuring the concentration of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin by direct contact with blood which comprises:
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a) waveguide comprising a planar support as a cladding on a first surface with a second surface parallel to the plane of the first surface and capable of being exposed directly to a fluid, b) a reflective surface orthogonal to the direction of propagation of light within the waveguide, c) means for illuminating said waveguide, d) means for detecting the intensity of light reflected by said mirror in relationship to the intensity of light used to illuminate the waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification