ABSTRACT
The physics of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy are favorable for biological applications, especially for in situ measurements. This chapter focuses on the analysis of blood by NIR spectroscopy, specifically glucose and oxygenation. One of the most publicized and pursued uses of near-infrared in the life sciences is for in situ glucose measurements. The basis for using NIR for determination of blood glucose by scanning through skin and muscle is that the blood-glucose level in the blood is similar, if not identical, to the glucose level in tissues. Liem et al. used NIR and ultrasound to follow the cerebral oxygenation and hemodynamics in preterm infants treated with repeated doses of indomethacin. Near-infrared spectroscopy has been used to determine the activity of the brain using oxygenation levels. Cerebral oxygenation has been used in a multitude of other applications and helped develop the field of functional near-infrared spectroscopy.
