Breakthrough in non-invasive blood analysis using mid-infrared light

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H00231
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 21:Electrical and electronic engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Matsuura Yuji 東北大学, 医工学研究科, 教授 (10241530)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 片桐 崇史 富山大学, 学術研究部工学系, 教授 (90415125)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 光音響分光法 / 中赤外光 / 光熱変換分光法 / 非侵襲診断

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this project is to develop a device for analyzing blood components such as blood glucose by simply touching the sensor. We investigated a new method for detecting heat or acoustic waves generated by optical absorption of mid-infrared light incident on a biological sample, which enables precise analysis. For the detection of heat, a photothermal deflection method that detects changes in refractive index due to heat was used, and for acoustic waves, a method that detects ultrasonic waves propagating inside the body was investigated. The correlation with blood glucose level was examined, and a relatively good correlation was obtained if the measurement position was fixed.

Free Research Field

医用光工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では，光吸収により発生する熱を検出する光熱変換分光法を導入することにより，精密に血中成分を分析可能なシステムを構築することを目的とした．最終的な開発ターゲットは，小型かつ安価な実用システムであり，将来的にはコンパクトなヘルスケア機器を構築可能となる．光熱変換分光法自体は一般的なものであるが，それを中赤外分光による生体計測へ応用するというところに，本申請の研究の学術的独自性がある．