Abstract: When monitoring blood oxygen levels in a patient during a magnetic resonance scan, detachable and reusable fiber optic cable heads (16, 18, 98, 131, 132) are coupled to an SpO2 monitor and to a hinged finger clip (40, 70, 90, 110, 190) on a patient. The finger clip (40, 70, 90, 110, 190) includes apertures (94, 196) and a retaining structure (44, 95, 198) to which a coupling portion of the fiber heads (16, 18, 98, 131, 132) are releasable attached. The retaining structure includes retaining clips (44, 198), slots (95), or the like that flexibly receive and align the fiber heads (16, 18, 98, 131, 132). The retaining structure (44, 95, 198) may be deformable, such that detachment of the fiber heads (16, 18, 98, 131, 132) at the end of the MR scan renders the finger clip (40, 70, 90, 110, 190) unusable to ensure that the clip is not reused, thereby preventing cross-infection between patients.

Abstract: When monitoring blood oxygen levels in a patient during a magnetic resonance scan, detachable and reusable fiber optic cable heads (16, 18, 98, 131, 132) are coupled to an SpO2 monitor and to a hinged finger clip (40, 70, 90, 110, 190) on a patient. The finger clip (40, 70, 90, 110, 190) includes apertures (94, 196) and a retaining structure (44, 95, 198) to which a coupling portion of the fiber heads (16, 18, 98, 131, 132) are releasable attached. The retaining structure includes retaining clips (44, 198), slots (95), or the like that flexibly receive and align the fiber heads (16, 18, 98, 131, 132). The retaining structure (44, 95, 198) may be deformable, such that detachment of the fiber heads (16, 18, 98, 131, 132) at the end of the MR scan renders the finger clip (40, 70, 90, 110, 190) unusable to ensure that the clip is not reused, thereby preventing cross-infection between patients.

Abstract: A method of determining a quantitative statement concerning the quality of a medical measurement signal in pulsoximetry includes the steps of determining factors relevant to the measurement signal and interlinking the factors by means of an uncertain logic into a quality indicator. The factors relate to combinations selected from the group consisting of signal recording, signal processing, and signal evaluation. The uncertain logic includes fuzzy logic. The quality indicator quantitatively describes a quality of a determined measurement value of the measurement signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for suppressing the interferences in a measuring signal with a substantially periodic wanted signal. According to the method, first a transformation, preferably a wavelet transformation, of the measuring signal to a summation of aperiodic basic logic functions is carried out, wherein each element of the sum has a coefficient. Those coefficients that exceed a predetermined threshold value are characterized as interference coefficients that are presumably influenced by interferences and the interference coefficients are manipulated to suppress the interferences. The manipulated summation is then retransformed to an interference-suppressed measuring signal. An undisturbed base signal is shown as curve 300 (thin) and the disturbed signal as curve 310 (extra-bold). The curve 320 (bold) shows the signal screened according to the invention, by starting from curve 310 and carrying out the embodiment presented in the invention.

Abstract: Recognition of a useful signal in a measurement signal by: transforming the measurement signal for a given time slot into the frequency range; identifying frequency peaks in the transformed measurement signal; assigning identified frequency peaks to temporal progressions of identified frequency peaks of one or more preceding time slots to the extent the identified frequency peaks are already present; assigning the temporal progressions to one or more families which are comprised of a fundamental wave and/or of one or more harmonic waves; selecting a family as that which should represent the useful signal, and; selecting a frequency peak of the current time slot from the selected family as that which should represent the measured value of the useful signal in this time slot. The signal filtering is preferably used for medical measurement signals, preferably in the area of pulsoximetry and for measuring blood pressure or determining the heart rate.

Abstract: A method of determining at least the concentration of a component from the intensity of electromagnetic waves with at least two selected wavelengths which are reflected by human tissue or transmitted through human tissue comprises firstly the step of converting the intensities of the received electromagnetic signals into at least one first and one second time-dependent electric signal. Then a time-discrete transformation of the first and of the second electric signal into the frequency domain is performed to determine first and second spectral values of the first and of the second signal. Complex combinatorial values are formed from said first and second spectral values and physiologically relevant combinatorial values are selected by evaluating the complex combinatorial values according to given criteria for the physiological relevance thereof. Finally, the concentration of the component is calculated by using the selected combinatorial values or by using the frequencywise-associated spectral values.

Abstract: Disclosed is the determining of a composition of a gas mixture comprising an amount of one or more noble gases. A Raman spectrum of the gas mixture is measured first, and the amount(s) of Raman-active gas(es) in the gas mixture are determined based on the measured Raman spectrum. The amount of the (Raman non-active) one or more noble gases in the gas mixture can then be determined from the determined amount(s) of Raman-active gas(es). The composition of the gas mixture can also be determined by analyzing the Raman scattering in combination with the Rayleigh scattering. Based on the measured Raman spectrum, the expected intensifies of the Rayleigh lines of the Raman-active gases in the gas mixture are determined. The amount of the noble gas in the gas mixture is represented by the difference of the summed up Rayleigh lines of the Raman-active gases to the Rayleigh line in the measured spectrum.

Abstract: A method for measuring medical parameters of a patient by radiation of electromagnetic waves into a sample and for measurement and subsequent analysis of the electromagnetic waves which have passed through the sample, the following steps are carried out. First and second modulation signals are generated having equal frequencies and a first phase difference of substantially 90.degree.. Irradiating a first electromagnetic wave of a first wavelength into the sample, under control of the first modulation signal. Irradiating the sample with a second electromagnetic wave of a second wavelength, under control of the second modulation signal.

Abstract: A sensor performs medical measurements, particularly pulsoximetric measurements, and is attached or otherwise adhered to a human fingernail or toenail by an inwardly concave, first casing part of a sensor. Electromagnetic, particularly optical, transmitting elements and receiving elements permit the measurement of the radiation reflected by or transmitted through the tissue. The sensor is easy to apply, allows a long application period and is reusable.

Abstract: A method for digitally processing signals containing information regarding arterial blood flow in a living body is disclosed enabling a more accurate determination of the oxygen saturation. The method comprises the steps of identifying a first edge based on a first derivation of the signal, disregarding same if it does not fulfill certain criteria, determining a window based on said identified first edge, identifying the second edge falling within said window, disregarding same if it does not fulfill certain criteria, and replacing the second edge by the first before repeated these steps.

Abstract: A method for digitally processing signals containing information regarding arterial blood flow in a living body is disclosed enabling a more accurate determination of the oxygen saturation. The method comprises the steps of identifying a first edge based on a first derivation of the signal, disregarding same if it does not fulfill certain criteria, determining a window based on said identified first edge, identifying the second edge falling within said window, disregarding same if it does not fulfill certain criteria, and replacing the second edge by the first before repeated these steps.

Abstract: A medical sensor for measuring oxygen saturation contains encoding means for encoding the type of sensor. An oximeter comprises corresponding decoding means. The type of sensor represents the place of application at the human body. The oximeter uses this information to calculate oxygen saturation in dependence the place of application and for further purposes.