HOW INFRARED TEMPERATURE SENSORS CAN HELP IN CRITICAL MEDICAL APPLICATIONS
In these challenging times, there are medical applications which at this moment can make a big difference, for instance point of care testing (POCT). POCT is medical diagnostic testing performed at or near a patient’s bedside. As opposed to conventional medical testing, which entails sending specimens to laboratories, POCT yields results in minutes instead of hours or days.
POCT can include blood glucose testing, blood gas, metabolites and electrolytes analysis, etc. Tests are performed on portable instruments, with the use of disposable test strips or cartridges. The challenge with POCT instruments is to provide the complexity of conventional lab equipment in small, portable devices.
In a subset of these instruments, analytical methods are used that are temperature sensitive. For instance, the conductivity of blood samples is a quantitative measure of analyte content. However, conductivity varies when blood temperature changes, so the blood sample’s temperature must be accurately monitored and controlled to assure reliable diagnostic results. If the temperature of the diagnostic sample is not within specifications, faulty results will be generated.
Exergen provides infrared sensors which are used in medical applications which could mean the difference between life and death. When a patients needs blood infused, it is essential that the blood’s temperature is carefully warmed to 37°C to ensure patient safety and wellbeing. In a critival situation a patient needs blood immediately, the warming must be done swiftly but accurately. Blood must be warmed to this temperature prior to infusion, because, depending on its source, the blood can be at room temperature, refrigerated or any temperature in between. If the infused temperature is too low or too high, the risk of hypothermia or hyperthermia increases, presenting possible complications or even patient shock.
