Abstract:
An apparatus, a sample cuvette and a method for optical measurements on samples which show variable level of scattering. The apparatus, sample cuvette and method may be used for optical measurements on biological, physiological and chemical samples, however, are especially applicable for optical measurements on whole blood. The apparatus and the sample cuvette comprise an absorption filter or an interference filter, which provide correction for variations in the detector sensitivity and in the effective optical pathlength as observed upon varying level of scattering. The absorption filter filter has an absorbance profile characterised by the scattering angle α of scattered light which decreases from the center towards the periphery, and the interference filter has a center or a cut-off wavelength, which is longer than the wavelength of the light from the light emission means. The method for optical measurements uses the apparatus or the sample cuvette of the invention.
Abstract:
A method and an apparatus for determining the content of a constituent of blood of an individual are disclosed. In the method a whole blood stream is extracted from a blood vessel of said individual, the stream being directed through a path defining a substantially non-varying flow-through area wherein is provided a flow-through measuring cuvette including opposite first and second optical transparent surface parts defining an optical transmission path of the order of 0.5 - 2.0 mm. The whole blood stream flowing through the measuring cuvette is irradiated by irradiating the first optical transparent surface part of the measuring cuvette with multi-wavelength near infrared light. The near infrared absorption spectrum is detected and the content of the constituent is quantified on the basis of the detected near infrared absorption data. The method is particularly suited for measuring constituents of whole blood in an extracorporeal loop, for example in hemodialysis.