CO-oximeter
CO-oximeter
A CO-oximeter (pronounced: koh-ox-i-me-ter) is a device used in medical diagnostics to measure the levels of various forms of hemoglobin in the blood.
Etymology
The term "CO-oximeter" is derived from the words "carbon monoxide" and "oximeter". The prefix "CO-" refers to carbon monoxide, a gas that can bind with hemoglobin in the blood, while "-oximeter" is derived from the Greek words "oxys" (sharp, quick) and "metron" (measure), referring to the device's function of measuring oxygen levels.
Function
A CO-oximeter works by passing light through a blood sample at various wavelengths and then measuring the amount of light absorbed by the different forms of hemoglobin. This allows the device to determine the levels of oxyhemoglobin (O2Hb), deoxyhemoglobin (HHb), carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), and methemoglobin (MetHb) in the blood.
Usage
CO-oximeters are commonly used in emergency medicine and critical care settings to quickly assess a patient's oxygenation status and to detect the presence of carbon monoxide poisoning. They can also be used in pulmonary function testing to measure the effectiveness of oxygen delivery to the tissues.
Related Terms
- Oximetry: The process of measuring the oxygen level (oxygen saturation) of the blood.
- Pulse oximetry: A non-invasive method used to monitor a person's oxygen saturation.
- Hemoglobin: A protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs.
- Carboxyhemoglobin: A form of hemoglobin that is bound with carbon monoxide instead of oxygen.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on CO-oximeter
- Wikipedia's article - CO-oximeter
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