How the OxiplexTS™ Works

Oxygen concentration in the blood stream can be conveniently determined in-situ by measuring the absorption coefficients of oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin. A patented technology allows for the first time to measure the absolute scattering and absorption coefficients, and therefore, provide a system that does not require any calibration for the determination of the oxygen concentration.

The oximeter measures the absolute absorption and scattering coefficients of biological tissue. The absorption coefficient is given by the following relation:

where and are respectively the extinction coefficients at wavelength (λ) for oxy- and deoxy- hemoglobin. Once μ_a and μ_s' are determined at the two separate wavelengths, λ₁ and λ₂, the concentrations of the two species can be determined. The solution of the linear system [1] for two wavelengths gives:

From the concentration of the oxy and deoxy species, the hemoglobin saturation Y and the total hemoglobin content THC can be obtained, respectively:

Opportunities Provided by the OxiplexTS™

OxiplexTS™ provides exciting opportunities for research in tissue oxygenation. The ISS oximeter will also provide unique opportunities for research in tissue scattering. Never before have researchers been able to make simple, accurate, non-invasive real time measurements of scattering in tissue. This field of research is thus wide open for exploration.

Potential areas of Research

• Effects of exercise on muscle for the diagnosis of Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD)
• Scanning of the muscle for the location of vascular occlusions
• Effects of pharmaceuticals and/or anesthetic gas mixtures on tissue and/or brain
• Monitoring of brain oxygenation during surgery
• Monitoring of neonatal infant brain oxygenation
• Monitoring oxygenation and hemoglobin concentration status of cancer tumors