Optical tissue absorption sensor on the thorax: Possibilities and restrictions

Issue title: Proceedings of the twelfth International Symposium on Interdisciplinary Electromagnetic, Mechanic and Biomedical Problems, ISEM Bad Gastein

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Kaniusas, Eugenijus^{a; *} | Pfützner, Helmut^a | Mehnen, Lars^a

Affiliations: [a] Institute of Fundamentals and Theory of Electrical Engineering, Bioelectricity & Magnetism Lab, University of Technology, Gusshausstrasse 27-29/E351, 1040 Vienna, Austria

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. Tel.: +43 1 58801 35122; E-mail: kaniusas@tuwien.ac.at

Abstract: The study concerned an optical tissue absorption sensor which, if applied at the chest as a novel region, offers a non-disturbing multiparametric monitoring of all three: cardiac activity, respiratory activity, and changes of the oxyhemoglobin saturation S. Contrary to the standard region (e.g., finger), the chest region yields the respiration activity and accelerated assessment of S, though restricted to relative changes. As a novelty, the mutual interrelations between the respiratory activity and light absorption are discussed. The non-distal sensor could be combined with indispensable thoracic sensors, making distal oxygen sensor redundant if the determination of changes of S is sufficient.

Keywords: Thoracic oximetry, tissue absorption, biomedical sensors, respiration, apnea

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-2007-828

Journal: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 25, no. 1-4, pp. 649-655, 2007