Pulse Oximetry

Oxygen Transport in the Body

• Respired gas

• Arterial blood

• Tissue

• Venous blood
Oxygen Transport in the Body
 Oxygen Transport in the Body
• O2 delivered = (cardiac output) x (O2 concentration)

• Body consumes 1023 molecules of oxygen per second

• 99% of the O2 in arterial blood is hemoglobin-bound O2

• During exercise
• Cardiac output to 20 L/min (normally 5 L/min)
• Venous saturation to 40% (normally 60 – 80 %)
 Hypoxia
Results:

• Decrease work capacity of muscles

• Depressed mental activity

• Cell death
 Pulse Oximetry History
1930 oxygen saturation devices incapable of
distinguishing between arterial and venous blood
(coloured light)

1970’s, the Hewlett−Packard – measures the transmission

of light across the earlobe at more than two wavelengths.

Inventor, Ph.D. Takuo Aoyagi, Honda

 Electromagnetic Spectrum

The human visual system can detect from about

400 nanometers (violet) to about 700 nanometers (red)
Block Diagram of an Optical
Instrument
 Beer’s Law

Light
Medium Photodetector
Source

Light
L
intensity

Io I  I o .e  (  ).c. L

a a+d X
 Optical Measurement
Spectrophotometer

Light Source Light Detector

Cuvette
In the Chemistry Lab

Photoplethysmograph

Light Source Light Detector

Itrans  Iine -Dca λ

Physiological Measurement
Arterial versus Venous Blood
 Hemoglobin Spectrum
660 nm 910 nm or 940 nm

Calibration
wavelength

Oxygenated hemoglobin

Deoxygenated
(reduced) hemoglobin
Hemoglobin Spectrum
 Hemoglobin in Vitro Measurement

Red Light

Blood Cuvette
Source 660 nm
Photodetector
Infrared Light [ HbO2 ]
Source 940 nm SO2  x100%
Hbtotal

A(1 )
SO2  c1  c2
A(2 )
Hemoglobin in Vivo Measurement
Hemoglobin in Vivo Measurement
Hemoglobin in Vivo Measurement
Timing Signals
Sensors
 Characteristics
Advantages
• Easy to use
• Calibration unnecessary

Limitations

• Limited to tissues that can transmit light

• Highly sensitive to motion
Invasive
 Invasive
Wiley - Encyclopedia of
Biomedical Engineering - 6 Vol.
Set - PULSE OXIMETRY
 Invasive

To oximetry instrument

CVP injection port

Cardiac output Thermistor
computer connector
Balloon
Transmitting
fiber-optic
Receiving
fiber-optic
Optical module

Proximal Sampling and pressure

(CVP) lumen Balloon inflation monitoring lumen
lumen
Distal
(PA) lumen
Block Diagram
Block Diagram
Block Diagram
Experiences