Non-invasive optical real-time measurement of total hemoglobin content

Hemoglobin (Hb) is an important component of red blood cells. The primary function of Hb is to transport oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues and to carry carbon dioxide back to the lungs from the body tissues. The Hb concentration in human blood is an important parameter in evaluating the physiological status of an individual and an essential parameter in every blood count. Currently, invasive methods are used to measure the Hb concentration, whereby blood is taken from a patient and subsequently analyzed. Apart from the discomfort of drawing blood samples, there is often a substantial delay between the blood collection and its analysis in the laboratory. This process delay does not allow real-time patient monitoring in acute situations. However, the herein described noninvasive method allows pain free continuous on-line patient monitoring. The real-time monitoring of Hb facilitates immediate clinical reaction if necessary.