title: Finger blood content, light transmission, and pulse oximetry errors.
abstract: The changes in light emitting diode current necessary to maintain a constant level of light incident upon a photodetector were measured in 20 volunteers at the two wavelengths employed by pulse oximeters. Three states of finger blood content were assessed; exsanguinated, hyperaemic, and normal. The changes in light emitting diode current with changes in finger blood content were small and are not thought to represent a significant source of error in saturation as measured by pulse oximetry.
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Craft
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D010092:Oximetry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen