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Abstract

A spectrophotometric method and apparatus for determining the degree of oxygen saturation of the hemoglobin in the blood within a body part utilizes differences in light absorption based on differences in extinction coefficients at different wavelengths. Oxygen saturation is determined by utilizing absorption at three or more wavelengths of radiation preferably in the near red and infrared region (NIR) of the spectrum, specifically tailored to two or more components to be detected by the radiation. The first (reference) wavelength is preferably chosen to be at an isosbestic point for the two components, commonly the oxygenated and deoxygenated forms of hemoglobin. The absorption at the isosbestic point is subtracted from the absorption at the other wavelengths. Using these differences in absorption, the amount of each of the components encountered by the light may be determined without determination of pathlength, which would be required to determine the concentration. In order to determine the oxygenation state, i.e. ratio of oxygenated to deoxygentaed blood components, knowledge of the relative amounts suffices. Interference from other light-absorbing components, specifically those that respond to the oxygenation state of the body part (such as cytochrome c oxidase) is in the three wavelength method eliminated by reiterative correction.

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First Claim