Noninvasive Device Measures Hemoglobin More Accurately in Individuals with Darker Skin Pigmentations
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 31 Oct 2022 |
|
Racial disparities in hemoglobin and blood oxygen measurements are an urgent public health issue. The devices presently in use are inaccurate in people with dark skin. Most methods for monitoring hemoglobin require blood samples and expensive equipment. Currently available pulse-oximeters use red-infrared light and are based on technology first designed more than 50 years ago. The available noninvasive spectroscopic methods have a high degree of variability and often are inaccurate in people of color due to differences in skin melanin. There is a significant unmet need for a reliable, noninvasive device to estimate hemoglobin, irrespective of skin color. Now, researchers have demonstrated a new device that measures hemoglobin more accurately in individuals with darker skin pigmentations by using the spectroscopic properties of hemoglobin in the blue-green light spectra.
In a clinical study, a team of researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington (Arlington, TX, USA) along with Shani Biotechnologies LLC (Austin, TX, USA) measured the hemoglobin and oxygen content of 16 healthy volunteers using the newly developed technology. The team compared the results to those obtained using a commercially available pulse-oximeter for accuracy and variability. The findings of the study are encouraging, and the new technology has massive potential to address this clinical unmet need. The researchers intend to develop a wearable device, such as a watch or a monitor, that would read the blood through the skin.
“We have used the green-blue light and have successfully tested the device in preclinical and clinical studies,” said Dr. Vinoop Daggubati of Shani Biotechnologies LLC. “Our group has addressed the issues around shorter wavelength, scattering of light and the impact of skin melanin. The scientific community should open its mind to the concept of green light for these measurements. The Shani device has huge potential to eliminate this racial disparity.”
Related Links:
University of Texas at Arlington
Shani Biotechnologies
Latest Hematology News
- New Donor Genetic Marker May Help Predict Stem Cell Transplant Success
- New Automated Hemostasis Systems Become Available Across US Laboratories
- Updated Ferritin Thresholds Improve Detection of Iron Deficiency
- Variation in AML Residual Disease Testing Prompts Push for Standardization
- Hidden Molecular Mechanism Behind HIT Blood-Clotting Disorder Revealed
- Borderline Anemia May Carry Higher Risk Than Current Thresholds Suggest
- Biomarker-Guided Framework Aims to Guide Mantle Cell Lymphoma Therapy
- New Genetic Findings Reveal Cause of Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome
- Ultra-Portable Device Enables Finger-Prick Blood Testing at Home
- Age-Specific CBC Reference Intervals Support Pediatric Diagnosis in Vietnam
- Spectral Flow Cytometry Assay Enhances MRD Detection in Multiple Myeloma
- New Marker Helps Detect Aggressive Multiple Myeloma Earlier
- New Biomarkers Predict Resistance to Targeted Therapy in Rare Blood Cancer
- AI Decision Support System Guides Treatment Selection for Complex Blood Cancers
- Blood Test Helps Predict Short-Term Mortality After Severe Heart Attack
- Next-Generation Hematology Platform Streamlines High-Complexity Lab Workflows
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
Blood Biomarker Patterns Could Support Monitoring of Anti-Amyloid Treatment
Patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease may receive anti-amyloid therapy to clear amyloid protein deposits from the brain. These treatments can slow disease progression, but they do not cure the... Read more
Prehospital Blood Test Could Reduce Emergency Transfers for Chest Pain
Chest pain leads to ambulance transport to an emergency department for about 95% of patients, although only a minority have a serious cardiac condition. Troponin testing helps assess heart muscle damage,... Read more
First-of-Its-Kind Rapid Blood Test Gains CE Mark to Support Prehospital Stroke Triage
Rapid stroke identification before hospital arrival is critical because treatment efficacy declines with every minute of delay. However, definitive assessment typically requires hospital-based imaging,... Read more
Multi-Cancer Blood Test Expands Detection to Cancers Lacking Routine Screening Options
Many lethal cancers lack routine screening and are often diagnosed only after symptoms emerge, limiting curative options. Standard programs in the United States cover a small subset of malignancies, leaving... Read moreMolecular Diagnostics
view channel
Portable Test Differentiates Seven Mosquito-Borne Viruses at Point of Care
Mosquito-borne viral illnesses can present with overlapping symptoms such as fever, joint pain, fatigue, and rash, making them difficult to distinguish without laboratory testing. In these settings, clinicians... Read more
Molecular Skin Test May Help Guide Treatment Selection in Atopic Dermatitis
Patients with atopic dermatitis (eczema) often struggle to achieve consistent symptom control, leading many to alter or switch systemic therapies when treatment is ineffective. Newly published survey data... Read more
Genetic Testing Program Helps Uncover Inherited Risk in Pediatric Cancer
Inherited cancer risk can affect children, adolescents and young adults, but it may not always be apparent from tumor type or family history alone. Some cancer syndromes require specialized expertise and... Read more
Genomic Breast Cancer Study Adds Real-World Evidence Across Diverse Patient Populations
Early-stage breast cancer treatment planning requires balancing recurrence risk, tumor biology, and the potential benefit of systemic therapy. These decisions can be challenging when certain patient groups... Read moreImmunology
view channel
Werfen Expands Automated APS Testing with FDA-Cleared and CE-Marked IgA Reagent
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disorder associated with thrombosis and pregnancy complications, but its symptoms can overlap with those of other conditions, complicating diagnosis.... Read more
Blood Biomarker May Predict Colitis Risk in Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy
Immune checkpoint inhibitors can trigger immune-related colitis that leads to severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, and treatment interruptions. Clinicians currently lack validated tools to identify which patients... Read more
Blood EBV Activity Biomarkers May Predict Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Months Ahead
Predicting relapse in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains difficult, limiting opportunities for timely intervention and monitoring. Although many people harbor latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), growing evidence... Read more
Microbiology
view channel
FDA Clears Rapid Phenotypic Antimicrobial Susceptibility System for Positive Blood Cultures
Bloodstream infections require prompt treatment, but antimicrobial susceptibility results often lag behind a positive blood culture. Conventional testing can take another 24 to 48 hours after a culture... Read more
New Urine Test Expands Mycotoxin Analysis to 31 Markers for Broader Exposure Assessment
Clinical evaluation of mold exposure increasingly relies on urinary mycotoxin testing, but limited marker coverage and metabolite masking can make results more difficult to interpret. Broader analysis... Read more
Pathology
view channel
Simple Test Could Reduce the Need for Invasive Uterine Cancer Checks
Bleeding after menopause requires prompt investigation for uterine cancer, although most women who undergo testing do not have the disease. In the U.K., uterine cancer affects nearly 10,000 women each... Read more
Tumor Blood Vessel Features May Help Predict Colorectal Cancer Survival
Colorectal cancer outcomes vary widely, and tumor biology remains a key determinant of prognosis. Because neoplasms depend on a vascular supply, differences in intratumoral vessels may influence survival.... Read more
Multimodal AI Improves Breast Cancer Recurrence Risk Prediction Beyond Standard Genomic Testing
Predicting which patients with early-stage breast cancer will develop distant recurrence remains difficult, complicating decisions about long-term therapy and surveillance. Widely used genomic assays are... Read more
Technology
view channel
New Automation Workflow Streamlines NGS Library Preparation for High-Volume Labs
Demand for next-generation sequencing (NGS) continues to rise as laboratories process growing sample volumes, yet library preparation remains labor-intensive and a frequent source of variability.... Read more
ADLM Calls for CLIA Updates to Support Safe AI Use in Laboratory Medicine
Clinical laboratories increasingly use artificial intelligence to verify, interpret, and report results, but safeguards under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) were designed in 1992.... Read more
Industry
view channel
Collaboration Combines AI Cognitive Assessment and RNA Blood Testing for Earlier Alzheimer’s Detection
Alzheimer’s disease is often identified only after substantial neurodegeneration, partly because current diagnostic pathways are fragmented and difficult to scale. As treatment shifts toward earlier intervention,... Read more
Mayo Clinic Laboratories and Pathology Asia Expand Genomic Testing Across Asia-Pacific
Mayo Clinic Laboratories and Pathology Asia Holdings (PAH), together with subsidiary LifeStrands Genomics, announced a strategic investment and collaboration focused on expanding access to advanced diagnostics... Read more
