Comparison of Tissue Oxygenation Measurement Using Multimodal Devices

November 27, 2023 updated by: Surya Gnyawali, Indiana University

Measurement of Oxygen Saturation in Healthy Human Volunteers Before, During, and After Hyperemic Events Using Multi-Modal Techniques: Spatial Frequency Domain Imaging, Transcutaneous Oxygen Measurement, Pulse Oximeter, and Apple Watch

Pulse oximeters are common medical devices used to measure blood oxygen saturation (SpO2). These devices are either stand-alone or integrated into physiologic monitoring systems, using 2 wavelengths of light to determine SpO2. With recent advances in technology, Spatial Frequency Domain Imaging (SFDI) uses a range of light wavelengths from red to near-infrared (NIR), and smartphones such as Apple Watch, and transcutaneous oximetry TCOM now have pulse oximetry capabilities. Since it is possible that most patients could utilize this technology, we sought to assess the accuracy, reliability, and usability of these oximeters and compare outcomes. In this study, a cohort of 20 healthy volunteers above the age of 18 including males and females of different skin colors will be assessed at the same site and data will be compared. We aim to provide a set of data that will support the clinical and scientific community and identify more than one reliable skin oxygen measurement modality.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

The subjects will go through a questionnaire session about their medical history by a designated study team member. The questionnaire data will be placed in RedCap using a subject ID that cannot be linked back to the subject. Then the subject will consent and be enrolled. Then the non-invasive data-collecting procedure will start on the following equipment.

Spatial Frequency Domain Imaging (SFDI): During the consenting period, the Modulim equipment will be calibrated and set up ready for scanning. The subject's volar aspect of the thumb along with the palm surface will be ready to target the optical camera head. Actual scanning takes less than 60 seconds. The images will be processed offline. During processing 3-5 different regions of interest (ROI) will be taken to measure the oxygen parameters such as tissue oxygen saturation (StO2), oxy-hemoglobin (HbO2), deoxy-hemoglobin (HbR), superficial hemoglobin (HbT1, sub-surface hemoglobin (HbT2). The model used is a Clarifi Modulim Transcutaneous oxygen monitoring (TCOM): Transcutaneous oxygen monitoring (TCOM or TcpO2) is a noninvasive, clinically-approved method to obtain skin oxygen levels. The method is quantitative and measures oxygen delivery to the skin from underlying tissue. Before positioning the electrode, an adhesive fixation ring will be placed on the dry skin on the volar aspect of the thumb and an electrolyte as a contact liquid will be filled in half and the probe is aligned into it by rotating clockwise to fasten it. The recording will be started and waited for the oxygen level to stabilize and a fixed value will be recorded. The model used is a Perimed PeriFlux 5000. The probe will be heated to about 45 degrees C. Although this device has other options, only the measurement of O2 will be performed using this device.

Apple Watch Oxygen Sensor: Smartwatch blood oxygen sensors also measure blood oxygen levels in the tissue. Apple Watch Series 6 introduced this new feature for monitoring blood oxygen levels using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at the back of apple watches. A low blood oxygen level can be indicative of a serious health issue that needs immediate attention. The apple watch is equipped with green, red, and infrared LEDs that shine light onto the blood vessels in the wrist, with photodiodes measuring the amount of light reflected back. Apple's algorithms use this information to calculate the color of the blood, which is an indication of how much oxygen is in the blood. Bright red blood is well-oxygenated, while darker blood has less oxygen. This can measure blood oxygen levels between 70 and 100 percent. Most healthy people have blood oxygen levels that range from 95 to 100 percent. The apple watch sensor will be positioned on the user's preferred wrist.

Pulse Oximeter for Oxygen Monitoring: The pulse oximeter enables transcutaneous monitoring of the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in arterial blood (StO2). Pulse oximetry is so widely prevalent in medical care that it is often regarded as a fifth vital sign[3]. It is important to understand how the technology functions as well as its limitations. To recognize the settings in which pulse oximeter readings of oxygen saturation (SpO2), an understanding of two basic principles of pulse oximetry is required: (i) how oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) is distinguished from deoxyhemoglobin (HbR) and (ii) how the SpO2 is calculated only from the arterial compartment of blood. Pulse oximetry is based on the principle that HbO2 and HbR differentially absorb red and near-infrared (IR) light. It is fortuitous that HbO2 and HbR have significant differences in absorption at red and near-IR light because these two wavelengths penetrate tissues well whereas blue, green, yellow, and far-IR light are significantly absorbed by non-vascular tissues and water [3]. HbO2 absorbs greater amounts of IR light and lower amounts of red light than does HbR; this is consistent with experience - well-oxygenated blood with its higher concentrations of HbO2 appears bright red to the eye because it scatters more red light than does HbR. On the other hand, HHR absorbs more red light and appears less red. Exploiting this difference in light absorption properties between HbO2 and HbR, pulse oximeters emit two wavelengths of light, red at 660 nm and near-IR at 940 nm from a pair of small light-emitting diodes located in one arm of the finger probe. The light that is transmitted through the finger is then detected by a photodiode on the opposite arm of the probe. In this study, the volar aspect of the thumb and index finger of the subject will be used to measure SpO2.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

20

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Indiana
      • Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 15219/46202
        • Indiana University, School of Medicine
    • Pennsylvania
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15227
        • Surya C. Gnyawali, University of Pittsburgh, UPMC

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Healthy volunteers
  • Able to understand and complete the Informed Consent
  • Both males and females
  • Age between 18-65 years
  • All ethnic backgrounds

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients or limited health conditions
  • Smoking tobacco product
  • Prisoners
  • Cannot consent for themselves

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Other: Multi-Modal Measurement of Oxygen Saturation
During a single study visit, participants will have oxygen saturation measured with a number of oximetry devices including Spatial Frequency Domain Imaging (SFDI), Transcutaneous oxygen monitoring (TCOM), an Apple Watch Oxygen Sensor, and a Pulse Oximeter. Each device will be used to measure oxygen saturation of the thumb and index fingers at rest, during occlusion of blood flow to the arm (using an inflated blood pressure cuff applied to the arm), and during the hyperemic post-occlusion period. Completion of all planned interventions may take up to 2 hours on the study visit day.
During consenting period, the Modulim equipment will be calibrated and setup ready for scanning. Subject's volar aspect of the thumb along with the palm surface will be ready to target the optical camera head. Actual scanning takes less than 60 seconds. The images will be processed offline. During processing 3-5 different regions of interest will be taken to measure the oxygen parameters such as tissue oxygen saturation, oxy-hemoglobin, deoxy-hemoglobin, superficial hemoglobin, and sub-surface hemoglobin.
Other Names:
  • Spatial Frequency Domain Imaging (SFDI)
Transcutaneous oxygen monitoring (TCOM or TcpO2) is a noninvasive, clinically-approved method to obtain skin oxygen levels. The method is quantitative, and measures oxygen delivery to the skin from underlying tissue. Before positioning the electrode, an adhesive fixation ring will be placed on the dry skin on the volar aspect of the thumb and an electrolyte as a contact liquid will be filled half and the probe is aligned into it by rotating clock-wise to fasten it. Recording will be started and waited for the oxygen level to stabilize and a fixed value will be recorded. The probe will be heated to about 45oC. Although this device has other options, only the measurement of O2 will be performed using this device.
Other Names:
  • Transcutaneous oxygen monitoring (TCOM)
The apple watch is equipped with green, red, and infrared LEDs that shine light onto the blood vessels in the wrist, with photodiodes measuring the amount of light reflected back. Apple's algorithms use this information to calculate the color of the blood, which is an indication of how much oxygen is in the blood. Bright red blood is well oxygenated, while darker blood has less oxygen. This can measure blood oxygen levels between 70 and 100 percent. Most healthy people have blood oxygen levels that range from 95 to 100 percent. The apple watch sensor will be positioned on the user's preferred wrist.
The pulse oximeter enables transcutaneous monitoring of the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in arterial blood. In this study, volar aspect of thumb and index finder of the subject will be used to measure blood oxygen saturation.
Other Names:
  • Pulse Oximeter

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Device-wise Comparison of Tissue Oxygenation Measurement
Time Frame: Visit 1, up to 2 hours in duration
4 devices used to measures the tissue oxygen saturation on healthy human volunteers
Visit 1, up to 2 hours in duration
Male vs Female Comparison of Tissue Oxygenation Measurement
Time Frame: 1 visit, 2hrs
Goal is to see if there is a variation in the gender biased. The criteria for the male vs female comparison were considered to find better or worse outcomes.
1 visit, 2hrs
Skin Type Based Comparison of Tissue Oxygenation
Time Frame: 1 visit, 2hrs duration

Fitzpatrick chart-based skin categorization of the skin type. The criteria for the Fitzpatrick Skin Type grades IV, II & III were matched with Fitzpatric table and grades were considered to find better or worse outcomes.

Please Note: The skin type analysis was performed irrespective to the devices. Only skin types were considered. So, there is no need of adding arms/groups other than the (1) Skin type IV and (2) the skin type II& III.

1 visit, 2hrs duration

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Surya C. Gnyawali, PhD, University of Pittsburgh and Indiana University, School of Medicine

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

March 9, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 7, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

July 7, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 13, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 13, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

March 24, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 29, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 27, 2023

Last Verified

November 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 13895

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Through Publication

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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