METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE HEMOGLOBIN CONCENTRATION AND/OR HEMATOCRIT IN WHOLE BLOOD USING DIFFUSE LIGHT

摘要

A system, method and computer program product is provided for obtaining linear optical measurements (e.g., optical density) of hemoglobin concentration or hematrocrit in whole blood using diffuse illumination. The present invention uses a diffuse illumination source to measure spectral signatures. The light source is projected such that the optical measurement does not need to be corrected for scattering effects. The detected light in the present invention can be collimated light or light collected over a small solid angle and imaged onto a detector for accurate microvessel hematocrit measurements.