Simple and affordable imaging of multiple physiological parameters with RGB camera-based diffuse reflectance...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Imaging
• Optical Diagnostics
• Physiological Monitoring

Background:

• Current methods for assessing physiological parameters can be invasive or expensive.
• There is a need for cost-effective, portable, and non-invasive imaging techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a simple, affordable imaging technique using a digital RGB camera to evaluate multiple physiological parameters transcutaneously.
• To establish relationships between camera-derived color space values and concentrations of key biomolecules and physiological states.

Main Methods:

• RGB camera data converted to CIE XYZ color space.
• Monte Carlo simulations to model light transport and relate XYZ values to hemoglobin and bilirubin concentrations.
• In vivo experiments in rats to validate bilirubin and oxygen saturation measurements.

Main Results:

• Accurate estimation of bilirubin concentration in rats post-bile duct ligation, correlating with commercial devices.
• Demonstrated ability to track changes in oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin, and tissue oxygen saturation under varying oxygen conditions.
• Developed a non-contact imaging photoplethysmograph for estimating percutaneous oxygen saturation, identifying hypoxemia onset.

Conclusions:

• The proposed imaging technique is a viable, cost-effective method for transcutaneous assessment of multiple physiological parameters.
• This optical biomedical imaging approach offers potential for portable, point-of-care diagnostic solutions.
• The method demonstrates significant potential for non-invasive, remote, and accessible health monitoring.