Abstract:
This invention is a method and apparatus for monitoring glucose, ethyl alcohol, and other blood constituents in a noninvasive manner. Long wavelength infrared energy emitted by the person as heat is monitored and the infrared absorption of particular constituents in the blood is measured (114) at characteristic infrared absorption wavelengths (110) for those constituents. The measurements are preferably synchronized (124) with systole and diastole of the cardiac cycle so that the signal contribution caused by veins and tissues may be cancelled when a ratio of the detected signals is taken. If no synchronization is provided, the spectrophotometer may measure the arterial, venous, and tissue constituent concentrations simultaneously. The internal "blackbody" energy level of an infrared emissions source such as a vascularized appendage is measured (300) and used to compensate temperature dependent effects in the concentration calculation. The internal energy level ratio is ratioed to the actual measured energy.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for monitoring glucose, ethyl alcohol and other blood constituents in a noninvasive manner. The measurements are made by monitoring infrared absorption of the desired blood constituent in the long infrared wavelength range where the blood constituent has a strong and distinguishable absorption spectrum. The long wavelength infrared energy emitted by the person as heat is monitored and the infrared absorption of particular constituents in the blood (such as glucose or blood alcohol) is measured by infrared detector (412) at characteristic infrared absorption wavelengths for those constituents. The measurements are preferably synchronized with systole and diastole of the cardiac cycle monitored by cardiac monitor (718) so that the signal contribution caused by veins and tissues (which do not pulse) may be cancelled by microprocessor (418) when a ratio of the detected signals is taken. The concentration of the blood constituents is then determined in accordance with a polynomial equation.