Respiratory measurement Flashcards
(166 cards)
Define pulse oximetry
Pulse oximetry utilises the Beer-Lambert Law to isolate the pulsatile arterial signals and isolates different haemoglobin species by their differential absorption of light wavelengths
Define oxygen saturation
The ratio of reduced haemoglobin to oxyhaemoglobin
What 2 wavelengths of light are used in pulse oximetry
660nm and 940nm
Deoxyhaemoglobin absorbs light at what wavelength
660nm - shorter wavelength, higher frequency i.e. more blue
Oxyhaemoglobin absorbs more light at what wavelength in pulse oximetry
940nm - longer wavelength, more red
What wavelengths are used in pulse oximetry and which wavelengths are predominantly absorbed by each haemoglobin species
◦ Two wavelengths (660 and 940 nm) are used in pulse oximettry
◦ Deoxyhaemoglobin absorbs more light at 660nm and oxyhaemoglobin absorbs more light at 940 nm.
Which haemoglobin absorbs more visible light and whcih more infrared
‣ Oxygenated haemoglobin absorbs less red light than deoxygenated haemoglobin, BUT more infrared
What is an isobestic point in the context of pulse oximetry
‣ Note that at two points on the diagram the extinction coefficients are equal (590, 805nm) called isosbestic points, this allows for the measurement of total haemoglobin absorbance proportional to total haemoglobin concentration allowing correction of absorbance data accounting for anaemia, different types of haemoglobin
What is Beer’s law
◦ Beer Law: the concentration of a given solute in a solvent is determined by the amount of light that is absorbed by the solute at a specific wavelength
How does the pulse oximeter derive arterial saturations given tissue and concurrent venous blood in the same area?
◦ Absorption-over-time signal from arterial blood is pulsatile, whereas signal from venous haemoglobin and tissue is not.
◦ When the arteries pulsate, the distance travelled by light though them changes
◦ One can therefore use Lambert’s Law (equal parts in the same absorbing medium absorb equal fractions of the light that enters them).
◦ Thus, one can compare the ratio of pulsatile and nonpulsatile absorbance to produce R, the ratio of absorbance at any given time
What is Lamberts law
equal parts in the same absorbing medium absorb equal fractions of the light that enters them
Draw the absorption graph for oxyhaemogl;obin, deoxyhaemoglobin, carboxyhaemoglobin and methaemoglobin
What is R
Give the equation for R
In the context of pulse oximetry
◦ Thus, one can compare the ratio of pulsatile and nonpulsatile absorbance to produce R, the ratio of absorbance at any given time
◦ R = (AC660 / DC660) / (AC940/DC940)
Explain the utilisation of Lambert’s law in pulse oximetry
◦ This pulsatile signal change is not due to some change in the arterial oxygenation which occurs with every heartbeat (arterial blood stays uniformly oxygenated between beats), or with the arrival of extra haemoglobin in front of the sensor (arterial haematocrit is also sable between beats). The main reason for the change in absorbance is the optical distance. As arteries expand with the arterial pulse, the distance between the probe and the sensor increases, and the absorbance increases proportionally (this is where Lambert’s law comes in).
Combine the Beer and Lambert law into one definition
◦ The measured absorbance for a single compound is directly proportional to the concentration fo the compound and the length of the light path through the sample
beer’s law
‣ Beers law deals the the concentration measurement - absorption or attenutation of light is proportional to concentration of the substance
Lamberts law
‣ Lamberts law deals with identification fo the pulsatile signal - ababsorption or attentuation is proportional to the distance the light has ti travel
How is the R value in pulse oximetry converted to saturations
- Calibration with empirically measured data
◦ R is meaningless unless it can be related to oxygen saturation;
◦ R is compared with a set of standardised values to deliver a calculated SpO2
◦ An R of 1 gives an SpO2 of 85%
◦ An R of 0.4 gives an SpO2 of 100%
◦ An R of 2 gives an SpO2 of 50%
◦ A series of saturation measurements and R values have been collected from healthy individuals in the 100-75% saturation range, and extrapolated to 0%
Over what range is pulse oximetry accurate
100-70%
Define isobestic point
◦ The isobestic point is the wavelength at which light is absorbed equally by both haemoglobin species
◦ Light absorption is therefore independent of saturation, and is instead a function of haemoglobin concentration
What are the values for the isobestic point
590nm
805nm
Plethysmograph means?
graph of the change in volume
How does the pulse oximeter correct for ambient light?
- Correction for ambient light
◦ The pulse oximeter LEDs strobe at a high frequency (400-900 Hz)
◦ When the LED is off, the photometer measures the absorption of ambient light, and subtracts this from the signal measured when the LEDs are on.
◦ This eliminates the contribution of (most) ambient light
What are the essential features of a pulse oximeter
◦ LED light sources x 2
◦ A photometer/photodiode as a light detector
◦ Opaque probe housing to minimise ambient light
◦ Signal amplifier and noise filter
◦ A control circuit
◦ Electronic storage which contains calibratino data, compliant connector to a user interface with display and alarm functions