Development and in-vivo validation of a portable phosphorescence lifetime-based fiber-optic oxygen sensor

Abstract

Oxygenation is a crucial indicator of tissue viability and function. Oxygen tension (hbox {pO}_2), i.e. the amount of molecular oxygen present in the tissue is a direct result of supply (perfusion) and consumption. Thus, measurement of hbox {pO}_{{2}} is an effective method to monitor tissue viability. However, tissue oximetry sensors commonly used in clinical practice instead rely on measuring oxygen saturation (hbox {StO}_2), largely due to the lack of reliable, affordable hbox {pO}_2 sensing solutions. To address this issue we present a proof-of-concept design and validation of a low-cost, lifetime-based oxygen sensing fiber. The sensor consists of readily-available off-the shelf components such as a microcontroller, a light-emitting diode (LED), an avalanche photodiode (APD), a temperature sensor, as well as a bright in-house developed porphyrin molecule. The device was calibrated using a benchtop setup and evaluated in three in vivo animal models. Our findings show that the new device design in combination with the bright porphyrin has the potential to be a useful and accurate tool for measuring hbox {pO}_2 in tissue, while also highlighting some of the limitations and challenges of oxygen measurements in this context.