On the Optical Monitoring of Anemia Severity Levels

Abstract

Anemia is a prevalent medical condition that seriously a ects millions of people all over the world. In many regions, not only its initial detection, but also its monitoring are hindered by the limited access to laboratory facilities. This situation has motivated the development of a wide range of optical de- vices and procedures to assist physicians in these tasks. Although noticeable progress has been achieved in this area, the search for reliable, low-cost and risk-free solutions still continues, and the strengthening of the knowledge base about this disorder and its e ects is essential for the success of these initiatives. In this paper, we contribute to these e orts by closely examining the sensitivity of human skin hyperspectral responses (within and outside the visible region of the light spectrum) to reduced hemoglobin concentrations associated with increasing anemia severity levels. This investigation, which involves skin specimens with distinct biophysical and morphological charac- teristics, is supported by controlled in silico experiments performed using a predictive light transport model and measured data reported in the biomed- ical literature. We also propose a noninvasive procedure to be employed in the monitoring of this condition at the point-of-care.